Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is popular for his raw and unfiltered takes, and this time, his frustration has found a new target—Netflix India, as the director recently took to Instagram to share his admiration for ‘Adolescence’, a show that left him “numb, envious, and jealous.”

But his appreciation quickly turned into criticism for the Indian arm of Netflix, which he accused of lacking vision and courage when it comes to original storytelling.

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Anurag Kashyap was all praise for ‘Adolescence’, calling it “better than any film or anything I’ve seen.” The show, created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham (who also stars in it), was a revelation for him. He highlighted the extraordinary performances, particularly by Owen Cooper and Graham himself. But what truly blew his mind was the technical brilliance of the show—each episode in a single take.

 

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“The amount of hard work that has gone into this… I can’t even imagine the rehearsals and prep they did,” he wrote. He also lauded cinematographer Matthew Lewis and director Philip Barantini, calling them “geniuses.”

While Kashyap was in awe of ‘Adolescence’, he didn’t hold back when it came to Netflix India. His issue? The stark difference between Netflix’s global ambitions and its treatment of Indian content. He referred to a recent statement by Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who praised ‘Adolescence’ for “pushing into brand new territories” and “defying limits of creativity.” This, however, could not convince Kashyap.

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“If they were pitched this, most probably they would have rejected it or turned it into a 90-minute film,” he said, pointing out that Indian Netflix originals rarely take creative risks. He expressed his frustration with the platform’s leadership, accusing them of being “dishonest, morally corrupt,” and more concerned with subscription numbers than meaningful storytelling.

Kashyap’s rocky relationship with Netflix India isn’t new. While ‘Sacred Games’ remains one of the platform’s biggest Indian successes, he revealed that his experience working with Netflix post-‘Sacred Games’ had been disappointing.

“The lack of empathy, courage, and dumbness mixed with immense insecurity… it frustrates me,” he wrote. He also called out the platform for backing subpar projects, using ‘Saare Jahan Se Achcha’ as an example, saying it had already changed directors multiple times.

Interestingly, Kashyap pointed out that some of the best Indian content on Netflix wasn’t even commissioned by them. He cited ‘Delhi Crime’ and ‘Black Warrant’ as shows that Netflix only acquired, while ‘Kohrra’ and ‘Trial by Fire’ were projects the platform “least believed in.”