Monika Shergill, Vice President of Content at Netflix in India: “Binge is at the core of Netflix and it will always be that way” | Web series

While Sanjay Leela Bhansali narrated a historical chapter with Heeramandi, Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba saw an exciting comeback of Rani. Amar Singh Chamkila offered musical touches, Maharaj a fresh take on fanaticism and Wild Wild Punjab wild adventures. Not to forget the laughter tour with The Great Indian Kapil Show. Their next chapter is a thriller called IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack directed by Anubhav Sinha.

To curate the diverse program

“The core strategy is to bring in the greatest filmmakers like Anubhav… The ambition behind IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack was to create a world-class series. The strategy is simple and yet equally difficult. The Indian audience is very diverse. But Indian audiences have one thing in common: they want entertainment,” Monika tells us.

And the streaming platform is working hard to offer all forms of entertainment to its diverse audience, as Monika puts it: “The vision and goal were very clear and it was about finding the best stories with the best filmmakers to give the service very strong, clear voices.”

“We're not just offering a one-off program. This year we have different types of stories and formats. We're as passionate about documentaries as we are about a film format and long form storytelling. Weekend entertainment is something we're embracing. And that's very important to us,” she explains.

Striving to be the first choice

Her goal, says Monika, is “to be the anchor service on the market that everyone knows and can adapt to.”

“And know that there is always new and exciting entertainment whenever you want to tune in,” she notes.

According to her strategy, bringing theatrical films to the service is as important as bringing new content to the platform. She cites the launch of projects like Jawan, Animal, Laapataa Ladies and Kalki 2898 AD as examples.

“We put a lot of effort into thinking about how we could offer the best to our audience,” says Monika.

From trying out different formats and shapes

With the growth of the OTT space since 2020, new trends have emerged, from splitting the final season into two parts to releasing one episode at a time.

When asked about the new trends, Monika answers: “When streaming started, it had to find its own purpose. Originally, the purpose of streaming was to offer choice and flexibility at the highest quality. That's how Netflix was born.”

“Today the purpose is a little different. While the core purpose of streaming remains the same, it is also about trying out many more formats as a service. We are moving into live programming in a big way. We have moved into episodic production, while binge is at the core of Netflix and will remain so,” Monika tells us.

She explains her thoughts as follows: “If you watch IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, you know that binge is our core format… At the same time, we are exploring new genres with weekly drops… Genre exploration is happening in a big way.”

“It's important for us to give them more reasons to come to the platform, give them more moments of truth where they find what they're looking for, while also giving them choice and flexibility. Kapil Sharma airs on Saturdays and people tune in as that becomes their prime time. The show is also available throughout the week and beyond. It's an interesting way to reach the audience,” says Monika.

On IC 814: The hijacking in Kandahar

Right now, their focus is on the release of IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. The six-episode thriller, starring Vijay Varma, Dia Mirza and Kumud Mishra, is based on the hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight in 1999. It is Anubhav Sinha's first return to long-form storytelling since his time in television. The adaptation is based on the book Flight Into Fear. The series is scheduled to release on August 29.

Monika says about the project: “This series is everything and more than the reasons why we got involved in it.”

“It needed a voice as strong and a vision as clear as Anubhav has… Anubhav has really translated his vision into a complex yet exciting series. Every part is gripping. Just when you feel like you know how someone is going to react or make a decision, you are surprised. It's a human thriller because it forces you to put yourself in the perspective of the people sitting on the plane. For them, every moment was a matter of life and death,” she concludes.