Ektaa Kapoor slams Anurag Kashyap as 'so dumb' after his rant against Netflix and ‘saas-bahu' shows

Time of India

3 hours ago

In a clash that has stirred up Bollywood's OTT circles, two creative giants,
Anurag Kashyap
and Ektaa R Kapoor, have found themselves at ideological loggerheads over the future of
Indian streaming content
. What began as a sharp comment by Kashyap on
Netflix
's evolving strategy has now snowballed into a larger debate about elitism, populism, and the cultural legacy of 'saas-bahu' television dramas. The
Sacred Games
director's biting remarks about Netflix's co-CEO Ted Sarandos and his jab at mainstream Indian content have prompted a fiery response from Kapoor, who defended mass entertainment with passion and a few pointed words of her own.
The storm was triggered when Kashyap reposted a headline quoting Ted Sarandos, who, in a conversation with Zerodha's Nikhil Kamath, suggested that Sacred Games 'perhaps shouldn't have been Netflix's first Indian original.' Sarandos implied that a more populist show might have served the platform's debut in India better. Kashyap, clearly unimpressed, responded with scathing sarcasm. 'He should have started with Saas-Bahu, he would have done well,' he posted on Instagram. The director then launched a more direct attack on Sarandos, calling "tech guys" "dumb" in the area of storytelling.
Ektaa Kapoor slams Sacred Games director
Kashyap's pointed remarks didn't go unchallenged. Ektaa R Kapoor, often hailed as the queen of Indian television and a strong voice in the streaming industry, responded firmly without naming Kashyap directly.
Kapoor criticised Kashyap's remarks, suggesting that his tone appeared self-congratulatory and condescending, as if trying to assert intellectual superiority. She highlighted the cultural significance of 'saas-bahu' serials, pointing to a well-regarded study from Chicago that recognized their role in empowering women through mainstream Indian media. She also accused artists like Kashyap of being classist in their attitudes, despite often advocating for inclusivity in their storytelling. Her message was not just a rebuttal but a reflection on the broader dynamics of creative hierarchy in India's entertainment industry. 'We must do away with this 'you can't sit with us, we are better' attitude for democracy and fair play!' she wrote, ending her post with a note of peace: 'Love and light to all.'
Ektaa Kapoor and Netflix
Interestingly, Kapoor's rebuke comes just days after Netflix announced a new creative collaboration with her production house, Balaji Telefilms, on the occasion of her birthday. 'Netflix and Ektaa Kapoor's
Balaji Telefilms
come together in a creative collaboration to craft compelling stories across formats,' the platform posted on June 7. Kapoor also called it her 'best gift ever.'