Anurag Kashyap Slams Netflix For Taking CID And Kapil Sharma Show From People: 'They're Playing A Massy Game...'

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, known for his fearless storytelling, has once again spoken about his troubled relationship with Netflix, revealing why he believes the streamer has “lost its authenticity.” In

a candid chat with Komal Nahta on Game Changer, the director shared that Netflix’s increasing creative interference and shift toward mass entertainment have alienated serious filmmakers.

“Our Worst Experiences Have Been With Netflix”

Anurag didn’t mince words while describing his fallout with the streaming giant. “Our worst experiences have been with Netflix,” he said. “They would control every aspect of filmmaking — the cast, the story, everything. When that started happening, I stepped away. And after me, many other filmmakers who don’t want to compromise on their storytelling have also stepped away.”

“Netflix Is Playing a Massy Game at a Premium Cost”

Comparing Netflix to other OTT platforms, the Sacred Games director argued that the platform has abandoned the bold storytelling that once defined it. “Other OTTs aren’t pretending to be elite,” he said. “Many of them are free. But Netflix charges so much and then brings shows like The Great Indian Kapil Show and CID — things people already watched for free on TV. They’re trying to play a massy game at a premium cost — it’s not going to work.”

“They Ghosted Me”: The Maximum City Fallout

Anurag’s disappointment dates back to his dream project Maximum City, based on Suketu Mehta’s book Bombay Lost and Found. Despite months of development, Netflix neither approved nor rejected the project. “They ghosted me,” he revealed to The Juggernaut. “It was one and a half years of emotional investment, and they didn’t even have the courage to tell me no.”

Following this fallout, Anurag even described the Indian arm of Netflix as “dishonest and morally corrupt,” claiming they would “never allow bold projects like Adolescence in India.”

Netflix Responds to Kashyap’s Criticism

Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria later responded, telling The Hollywood Reporter India, “Anurag is very talented, but we don’t agree with his assessment. We are trying to entertain the world — not just a small group with one definition of what’s good or premium.”

The End of a Partnership

Anurag’s last collaboration with Netflix was Sacred Games, which was widely acclaimed but cancelled after two seasons — a move that reportedly deepened the rift between the filmmaker and the streamer. Despite their fallout, Kashyap’s remarks highlight a larger industry concern — whether global OTT platforms are losing their creative courage in pursuit of mass appeal.