Anurag Kashyap has recently lashed out at Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, calling him "dumb" following Sarandos' remarks about the launch of Netflix in India with "Sacred Games." Sarandos' comments, made on Nikhil Kamath's podcast, suggested that starting with a more "populist" show might have been a better strategy for the Indian market.
Sarandos reflected on Netflix's initial approach to India, admitting that it took a couple of years to find the right product-market fit. He said, "Our very first Indian original show was Sacred Games. And I thought, 'This is going to be great. People in India love movies. This is a TV show that feels as big as a movie, it has movie stars.' What's interesting about it is that it was very, very novel, but what I didn't understand was that we were introducing a brand new kind of entertainment in a country the size of India." He further conceded that, in hindsight, a more mainstream offering might have been a wiser choice initially. "If I did it all over again, would I have done Sacred Games a couple of years later, and did things that were more populist instead? Maybe," Sarandos stated.
Kashyap, the co-creator of "Sacred Games," did not take kindly to Sarandos' assessment. Reacting strongly on social media platform Threads, Kashyap shared a screengrab of a news report covering Sarandos' statement. He retorted, "He should have started with Saas Bahu .. he would have done well... I always knew the tech guys are dumb when it comes to story telling but tedsarandos is the definition of dumb is what I didn't know . Good to discover that. This explains everything now.” In his post, Kashyap implied that Sarandos' perspective was simplistic and that a focus on popular soap operas ("Saas Bahu" dramas) would have been a more successful initial strategy.
"Sacred Games," directed by Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, was Netflix's first Indian original series. Based on Vikram Chandra's novel, the show featured Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in leading roles. The series received positive reviews for its first season in 2018. However, the second season faced mixed reactions, and the show was eventually cancelled.
Kashyap's criticism extends beyond just this recent incident. Back in March 2025, he had already voiced his discontent with Netflix India, particularly regarding their handling of content post-"Sacred Games." He accused Netflix India of lacking "empathy, courage and dumbness," and criticized the "dishonest and morally corrupt" environment he perceived within the organization. He specifically called out Ted Sarandos and Netflix's Chief Content Officer, Bela Bajaria, for their alleged "ineptitude."
In that earlier statement, Kashyap referenced an Instagram post by Sarandos praising groundbreaking content on Netflix. Kashyap responded, "I hope Sarandos 'means it' because Netflix India is 'a totally opposite sh**show' while recalling his seemingly unpleasant experience with them in the past when making Sacred Games." He expressed frustration with the perceived hypocrisy, contrasting Sarandos' public statements with the realities of content creation in India. He went on to say that Netflix India's primary focus seemed to be on increasing subscriptions rather than fostering genuine creativity.
Kashyap's previous statement also highlighted a shift in Netflix's approach over time. He recalled a period when Erik Barmack, a former Netflix VP, actively sought collaborations to create content for the platform. In contrast, he claimed that Netflix India later sent him a poorly written and "half-baked" project, which ultimately underwent multiple director changes and reshoots.
