Netflix: Young viewers yearn for uncensored shows
Arindam Ganguly, OP
Bhubaneswar: Youngsters nowadays have no time to watch regular TV and other censored shows. Latest technology and availability of online services have helped stream uncensored content such as movies, videos and website uploads.
Popularity of online streaming website Netflix has captured the imagination of youngsters in recent times thanks to shows like Narcos, Cargo and Strange Things . The content including comedy, drama, thriller and documentaries being streamed on demand has 109 million subscribers worldwide across 190 countries.
Although there are websites like Amazon Prime Video and Hotstar , the range andvariety is conspicuously lacking in them. Orissa POST interacted a few Netflix watchers in Bhubaneswar and sought to know what is so specific about Netflix content.
Shivasish Sarangi, an avid Netflix watcher, said there are original thrillers and movies called Netflix Originals. “My favourite show is Black Mirror , a science fiction series. It’s about a group of people’s personal lives and how technology has manipulated their behaviour.”
“You can enjoy unlimited viewing without having to watch a single commercial. There’s always something new to discover, and more TV shows and movies are added every month. The difference between Netflix shows and normal shows is huge. Netflix shows cannot be shown on television channels which is important because sometime you need to have your own space to watch things which you can’t share with family members,” opines Sarangi.
Netflix is best suited to people who love exclusive content without censorship. Often censorship destroys the freedom to watch. Hotstar has many subscribers in India, but its content is similar to any TV channel, he adds.
Kushal Kanungo, another viewer, said television channels stream censored material which irritates. We have some websites that show content on the basis of audience appreciation and approval rather than merit of the content. Netflix shows and movies attract me as I can watch it at my leisure. Everybody may not be keen to watch some content. Our TV content is for universal viewing,” suggests Kanungo whose favourite Netflix show is 13 Reasons Why.
It tells the story of Clay Jensen, a teenager who finds a box in which he discovers seven tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate who commits suicide two weeks before due to love failure. Hannah had recorded an emotional audio diary, detailing 13 reasons why she had killed herself. Her instructions are clear: Each person who receives a package of seven tapes will have to pass it on to the next person responsible for her tragic action. If someone breaks the chain, a separate set of tapes will be unveiled publicly. Each tape is addressed to a select person in her school having the details of their complicity in her eventual suicide.
Abhijit Mohanty said Netflix in recent times has begun investing in Indian market by producing Indian shows such as Love Square Foot which tells the story of two people who act as married couple to get a rented home.
“I am awaiting for the release of Netflix title Sacred Games which is directed by Anurag Kashyap starring Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte. It is based on the 2006 novel of the same title by Vikram Chandra.
Although Netflix’s subscription is higher than those of other streaming services, its minimum subscription is Rs 500 a month.
Anupam Patnaik, a film producer, said streaming websites are things of future as cinema would, perhaps, be watched on websites rather than in the theatres. Even big production houses have started creating exclusive content for their websites.