Netflix India is ramping up its content slate in the second half of 2026, with plans to release four titles a week across original series, films and licensed content, as the premium streaming platform broadens its programming beyond finite scripted shows to include non-fiction, comedy, longer-format series and creator-led content.

“In the second half of the year, we are launching four titles per week. We are ramping up our overall volume, though not at the expense of quality. We are programming more than 20 genres,” Netflix India vice-president, content, Monika Shergill told ET.

The push comes as streaming audiences in India become more open to varied formats, languages and genres across mobile and connected TV screens. Shergill said streaming has changed viewing behaviour by combining cinematic storytelling with the depth and frequency earlier associated with television.

“Streaming has married cinematic storytelling with a larger footprint of audience tastes, in terms of genres and languages,” she said. “Audiences are becoming genre-fluid and format-agnostic.”

Netflix’s slate reflects that shift. While premium scripted shows such as Taskaree: The Smuggler's Web, Kohraa and Super Subbu follow shorter episode structures, the platform is also experimenting with formats that require higher frequency or longer engagement.

Reality format Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa, for instance, is designed as a five-days-a-week show, while upcoming slice-of-life comedy Chumbak will have more episodes because of its character-led family world.

The platform is also working more closely with digital creators who have built large communities on YouTube. Bhuvan Bam’s Dhindora Season 2 will stream exclusively on Netflix, while Samay Raina’s India's Got Latent 2 will come to Netflix in a co-exclusive format along with YouTube. Raina’s next stand-up special will be a Netflix exclusive.

Shergill said Netflix is not looking at these creators merely as social media personalities, but as storytellers with a distinct voice and strong audience connection.

“For us, it’s not about where a creator comes from. It’s about identifying unique voices,” she said. “Many YouTube creators have spent years building highly engaged communities by developing distinctive storytelling styles and understanding what resonates with their viewers.”

Non-fiction and comedy are also becoming bigger pillars for Netflix India. Its unscripted slate includes The Great Indian Kapil Show, India’s Got Latent 2 and Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa. Shergill said audiences are returning to non-fiction as the streaming ecosystem matures after its first wave of premium scripted fandom.

“At its core, non-fiction appeals because people are fascinated by real people,” she said. “We enjoy watching individuals make difficult choices, navigate relationships, confront challenges, reveal their vulnerabilities and showcase their talents.”

On content sharing, Shergill said Dhurandhar The Revenge, backed by Jio Studios, was an exception rather than a broader strategy.

“We are not sharing films as a strategy. Dhurandhar was a very unique case because we have such a strong partnership with Jio Studios. We are not looking at splitting licences more broadly,” she said.

Shergill added that as streaming matures, platforms are becoming more disciplined in evaluating content investments. “Building a sustainable business is about balancing quality, diversity of storytelling and disciplined investment,” she said.

Netflix is also investing in the creative ecosystem through the NextGen India Writers’ Program, a two-month hybrid mentorship initiative for emerging screenwriters with up to three years of professional experience. Participants will work on long-form storytelling, character development, world-building and series bibles.

After making a name for himself as a content creator, Bhuvan Bam transitioned into full-time acting with his self-written show Dhindora in 2021. The series was well-received, and he had hinted multiple times at a second season being in the works.

Now, Bhuvan shares an update with us. “I have been working on writing Dhindora for a long time, but I’ve put it on hold for now — comedy can go stale if it takes too long to be made. The first draft is ready, but we still don’t have clarity on when it will go on floors. But it’s definitely on the cards,” he says.

In the meantime, he’s busy with another project — one he’s tight-lipped about but reveals is his first where he’s involved only as an actor. “It’s very different to be part of a project where your only role is to act in front of the camera and then go home. I always wanted to experience that. I love writing and creating for my own channel, but that can’t be my end goal. That’s something I’ll continue doing, sure — but being an actor has always been the core purpose. So this is a new and exciting experience,” he adds.

Bhuvan calls this his “new era” as an actor. “This new era is defined by the kind of work I’m doing. The projects coming out in the next few months will represent what I’ve always aspired to do. It’s a hint of what’s to come — I’m just waiting for the official announcement,” he signs off.

When one hears of a Delhi boy moving to Mumbai, the first thought that comes to one’s mind is Shah Rukh Khan’s trajectory—a middle-class boy who came from nowhere and became among the country’s biggest superstars. Bhuvan Bam’s journey is almost an antithesis to that. The internet sensation-turned-actor was a bona fide star when he first arrived in Mumbai in 2017. After six years and many to-and-fro trips to Mumbai, last month, the content creator finally rented an apartment in Lokhandwala, Andheri.

Most move to the Maximum City to fulfill their cherished dreams. Bam has long ticked that box. So, what made him move here, at this stage? “Goals,” he says. That, and convenience.

“I am now developing sequels to Dhindora and Taaza Khabar. It wasn’t humanly possible to shuttle between cities every week. So, I decided to move base to Mumbai, at least for a while.”

The past seven years have been a whirlwind for him. After one of his videos went viral in 2015, the then-Delhi-based boy quickly became an internet sensation with his YouTube vines. He followed it up with his comedy, Dhindora that became a rage among netizens, making him one of the most popular Indian content creators on YouTube. A new chapter of his success story began in January 2023 when he made his web series debut with Disney+ Hotstar’s Taaza Khabar.

For the foreseeable future, Mumbai will be his home as he dabbles in showbiz. He still remembers his first visit to the city in 2017—it was dramatic, thanks to the torrential rains that the city is known for. “I remember the first time I came out of the airport, on a wild rainy day, many years ago,” he says, building up the suspense.

“I took an auto-rickshaw to my destination. There was knee-deep water everywhere, and I was low on cash. Despite less money, the driver dropped me off safely.” That incident told him what he needed to know about the city. “This city has the best people. I am reminded of that incident every year,” he smiles.

Things have changed dramatically in Bam’s life since that rainy day. He now has a beautiful two-bedroom house, to boast of in the city. Between his writing, shooting and deadlines, the content creator-actor is doing up the house. He wants to do it up in a minimal fashion, going with his own approach to things.

We tell him that he didn’t have to face the nightmare that is house-hunting in Mumbai, complete with landlords, their unreasonable conditions before subletting an apartment, and the ever-rising rents. His star power comes in handy, he admits.

“I lucked out. They are some sweet aunties and uncles. It also helps that their children know me. Kisi se pyaar se milo toh they would be happy to give you their home. By the time we are at the stage of signing lease, they know me and my work. Since I am on YouTube, they trust me to not be unreliable,” he grins.

And there is always his Marathi background to fall back on. “I am a Maharashtrian boy from Delhi. So, Marathi words work like magic on them,” he laughs.

Building a life anew in another city is tough. One has to not only find their own rhythm in the city, but also steadily build a support system—from helpful neighbours, to like-minded colleagues, and hopefully, new friends—to make the transition easier. Bam, who lost his parents to COVID-19 in 2021, knows that the road ahead will be emotionally tough. But at 29, it’s a part and parcel of adulting.

“For most of us, this phase of life is about physically living away from the people who know us best. Technology keeps us together, but most of my friends aren’t in Delhi anymore. They are all over the world. Every now and then, we catch up and get a lowdown on each other’s lives.”

 

Living alone can be daunting. It’s no different if you’re a star, he notes. But Bam is where work is. “Delhi doesn’t evoke the same discipline in me as Mumbai does. Delhi is home, wahaan aalas failana aasaan hai. In Mumbai, if you don’t work for two days, you feel guilty. The lethargy of Delhi has been replaced by the alertness of Mumbai. You have to live up to this city’s hustle culture. I feel slightly away from my comfort zone.”

Do the little things that come with the change of scene unsettle him? To begin with, he must be used to the wide roads of Delhi. Cut to the infamous traffic snarls of Mumbai. How is he coping with them? “My projects are in development at this stage. So, we are sitting indoors and writing. The long hours of being stuck in traffic haven’t become unbearable yet. I either write at home, or with my friends who live a few lanes away.”

But surely, he must be missing Delhi food. Every Delhiite, who comes to the island city, whines about how it can’t match the capital’s gol gappa or chhole kulche. “Delhi is a class apart when it comes to food. But you have to find hidden gems in the city where the dal makhani matches up, and the butter chicken feels familiar,” he says.

So, has he discovered some haunts in the city? He recommends bun maska and chai at the Irani Bakery. “That said, I am mostly a home-cooked meal person. I like my rajma and kadhi made at home. I have stopped ordering off food apps. I used to be a serial orderer. But I have changed my ways.” 

His previous visits had already familiarized him with Mumbai. Over the past month that he has moved in, he is getting to know it more intimately. So, does it feel like home yet? “Culturally, Delhi and Mumbai aren’t too far apart. That way, Delhi and Bengaluru are poles apart. For me, it’s simple. Delhi is my safe space; I will never sell my Delhi house. Delhi is home and Mumbai is work. And I continue to be at work. Ghar toh kabhi bhi jaa sakte hai.”

Its people, and rains. 

Hate is a strong emotion. I need to live here more to find the flaws. 

I hope it keeps fulfilling dreams of many aspirational people like me. 

Mumbai always lives up to it. Even though dreams are unfulfilled at times, the city teaches us that such is life. 

Let’s see. Home is where heart is, and I’m possessive about my heart.

His success story is one for the books. Bhuvan Bam began his career in 2015 making comedy sketches that, in no time, garnered a wide fan following. But even in his wildest dreams, he wouldn’t have imagined making the distance from an Internet sensation to an actor in eight years. Today, as his maiden web series, Taaza Khabar, has been renewed for a second season, the actor-comedian says he hopes to be a “lambi race ka ghoda”.

“I knew [in my initial years] that I won’t be able to prove much in those five-six minute videos. I knew that if I wanted to be a lambi race ka ghoda, I’d have to move out of comedy and try something new. I don’t want to be known as a one-show wonder. [Going forward], there has to be much more than this, whether it’s season two, three, a new show or a new genre,” begins Bam, who is taking baby steps into showbiz.

While he caught everyone’s attention with his sketches and Dhindora (2021), Bam says that the recent Disney+ Hotstar series, also starring Shriya Pilgaonkar, put him on the map. The actor shares that he has sensed a change in the industry’s perception of him since Taaza Khabar.

“Co-actors easily say yes today. Earlier, they would think, kaise karenge? They would [wonder] whether they should do it or not because [I] have come from YouTube. Earlier, co-actors would say yes with inhibition and after a lot of difficulty. But eventually, when they would find out about our vision, it would turn into mutual admiration.” 

The entertainment industry might have taken its time to warm up to him, but Bam’s audience has remained loyal to him since the beginning. He says that because of his trajectory, people view his success as a personal win. He adds, “People tell me that they relate with my success. But this can’t be the peak.”

Content creator and actor Bhuvan Bam is currently basking in the success of his recent OTT outing, Taaza Khabar. While he is grateful for all the love coming his way, Bam says he wants to remain connected to his YouTube family of over 25 million subscribers.

The 29-year-old actor, who was last seen in a rom-com Rafta Rafta, says, “I find ample time to write episodes to keep my channel running. My audience deserves it. I can’t let go of that because they made me. Woh mujhe naturally aata hai and while doing that, I have got bigger ambitions.”

With his OTT debut Dhindora, as well as the show Taaza Khabar, Bam stepped into the shoes of an actor as well as a producer as he “wanted to have creative control”. “It was on my bucket list that I would make my acting debut with my own show and characters. There is a larger goal for which I’m here. My dream is to tell stories, and we are a land of content. I want to tell my own stories in my own capacity. It might take a few months or a few years, but that’s how I want to go about it. That’s why I’m serious about projects we are working on,” he says.

Talking about taking up acting full-fledgedly, Bam elaborates, “Every time I faced the camera for my YouTube videos, I realized acting is what I wanted to do. I remember cracking characters like Titu Mama, and many times, people couldn’t differentiate between the real me and my characters, which made me realize that I could pull this off and that maybe, I was doing something right. I decided to take acting up seriously and polish my already existing skills. I learnt a lot of new things on my way. It was a gradual process. I never thought that I’ll do a full-fledged acting job but it eventually happened and now, I’m glad that I took the risk.”

The growth of the digital space, he feels, is heartening as ever since the pandemic, “people have now started taking OTT seriously”. With many content creators turning actors off late, does he feel he fear that he won’t be taken seriously in the industry?

To this, Bam says, “When you’re trying to change the perception about yourself, the first few projects are tough as people can’t imagine you in any other character other than your existing image. In my case, casting calls started coming in right after Taaza Khabar. People saw potential and how different it was from a YouTube show. And of course, after the show dropped and people watched it, there has been a drastic change in their basic perception of me.”

Internet star Bhuvan Bam seems to be quickly gaining a foothold in showbiz. The social media star has already begun work on the second season of his popular series, Dhindora, which sees him play as many as nine characters. He will also showcase his acting chops in the Disney+ Hotstar offering, Taaza Khabar. Now, the content creator has bagged his third acting project — he will play the lead in a yet-untitled web series that revolves around a young married couple.

The family entertainer also stars senior actors Atul Srivastav and Rakesh Bedi, besides Srishti Ganguli Rindani and Kamini Khanna. Bam became a social media favourite with his cheeky vines, and Dhindora — both reflecting the humour of everyday situations. The upcoming romantic-comedy, he says, will be in the same vein.

“It [focuses] on the banter between the young couple. It is a light-hearted [show], with funny and relatable characters. The project also gave me an opportunity to work with veteran actors like Atul sir and Rakesh sir. I grew up watching them on screen, and now sharing screen space with them is a dream come true. Being around them is a huge learning experience for me,” he says.

The project is backed by his production house, BB Ki Vines, and helmed by Rohit Raj.

On most days, Bhuvan Bam has got netizens in splits, courtesy his cheeky vines and videos. Last year, the internet sensation launched his independent web series, Dhindora, on YouTube. No prizes for guessing that the comedy — that revolves around a middle-class family who suddenly strike it rich, and sees Bam play as many as nine characters — was an instant hit with viewers, clocking close to half a billion views. Now, Bam and director Himank Gaur have begun work on the second season of the slice-of-life series.

The actor-content creator confirms the development, stating, “We started Dhindora with the simple aim of entertaining the audiences with a web show set around interesting characters. The show was well-received, and we are grateful for all the love. We have already started work on the next season.”

Bam will double up as the screenplay writer. If things go as per plan, the show will go on floors by the year-end.

The social media star will also lead the Disney+ Hotstar web series, Taaza Khabar.

For comedian Bhuvan Bam, 2021 has been a year of loss (he lost both his parents to Coronavirus) and gain (his acting debut project has been a huge success). But the YouTube sensation admits that he is still trying to piece his life together. “Despite Dhindora being a success, I wouldn’t want 2021 to exist in my life. And it is not just me; it’d hold true for so many people. But abhi theek hai, you can’t change or do anything about it,” Bam says, adding, “All you can do is focus on the present and move ahead.”

Opening up about the response he got for his passion project, Dhindora, which he has been conceptualising since 2017, the 27-year-old says, “We never expected it to blow up like this. We knew that our audience who are used to BB Ki Vines will watch and have fun. But witnessing the response from people who weren’t our target audience is a great feeling.”

The eight-episode show has got over 300 million views collectively. Ask Bam why he released the show on YouTube, and not on any OTT platform, and he says, “First, it would have been unfair to go to my audience, who have watched all my content for free till now, and ask for money. Also, it was a conscious effort to tell people that YouTube isn’t only for sketches, music or roast videos,” says Bam.

He wanted to send a message to the people who are sitting at the top of the hierarchy, “people who distribute finances for making a series, that no creator is dependent on any platform”. Bam goes on, “Aisa nahin hai ki jab mujhe koi OTT platform movie banane dega, tabhi I will make a film”.