EXCLUSIVE Interview! Netflix’s Tanya Bami on OTT Boom: 'Differentiated content is the key' | Not Just Bollywood

Netflix’s Tanya Bami mentions in her interview that despite its global presence, the platform is deeply connected its Indian audiences. So, whether it is a Guns & Gulaab or Scoop, Kohrra, now a Kaala Paani or The Hunt for Veerappan, the content has evolved over a period of time. Differentiated content is the success mantra of the digital platform. Edited excerpts from the interview: Tanya when it comes to OTT viewing what is that you keep in mind because that is a very different audience that you are targeting? Actually, we are very mindful of our audience. And who we are making the show for and who are the viewers who is going to watch it because Netflix is a very premium brand across the world. Though we have a lot of international and Hollywood content, but we also focus majorly on our local audience. Our success mantra is ‘vocal for local’ so whatever we make has to really cater to the local audience. Netflix has a huge global presence, yet how does the platform keep themselves connected to the Indian viewers? Since India is such a diverse country, what we are doing when it comes to Hindi series is that all our partners, all the writers that we work with is that it’s not that there is a different audience that watches content on Netflix in India. It can be the same audience that will watch a big blockbuster movie in India. The way we have grown in the last few years, we have to be very mindful of the audience so that we remain deeply connected to them. So, whether it is a _Guns & Gulaab_ or whether it is a _Scoop_ , _Kohrra_ , now a _Kaala Paani_ or The Hunt for Veerappan. They are all talking to a wide audience. The interesting part is that every story is different so that experience is different and fun each time. It can be a comedy one night, a thriller the other night and drama the other night. Even though each idea is really diverse and differentiated, that actually helps in targeting a wide audience.

Isn’t there a little shift in the OTT content because initially when it started off it had a lot to offer when it came to thrillers, but now it is human-dramas. Why was this shift made and how the OTT content has evolved over a period of time?  As we are maturing, I think we are able to grow as an industry and grow as an audience. We started with a bang with the Sacred Games and the Emmy winning Delhi Crime, I think after that multiple drama characters like Bombay Begum, Kota Factory, Aranyak all these were very well received and it a different space. I think it all boils down to what is the distinctive nature of the story, what is the diversity with which we are able to cater to our members and how do we help them sample different kinds of compelling stories. As long as we have a differentiated idea and a stellar execution, I think all types of content will do well.