From The Night Manager to The Good Wife (The Trial), the remake era is in full swing. But as OTT platforms race to localize global stories, many are asking: Where’s the originality?
Hollywood on Repeat: What’s Being Remade?
Over the past few years, Indian streaming platforms have turned into remake factories:
The Night Manager (Hindi) – adapted from the British espionage thriller
Criminal Justice – remake of the British show of the same name
The Trial – Kajol-led Indian version of The Good Wife
Call My Agent: Bollywood – a remake of the French cult-hit Call My Agent!
Hostages, Out of Love, Rana Naidu… the list goes on.
Some of these adaptations have fared well, adding cultural nuance and local tension. But many feel like watered-down carbon copies, lacking the boldness or brilliance of the originals.
Are We Just Playing It Safe?
In a booming streaming economy where content is king, why are producers sticking to remakes?
Tried-and-tested stories mean lower risk for investors.
Original shows take time—and creative courage.
Star power often overcompensates for weak scripts.
But in playing it safe, something vital is lost: surprise, soul, and storytelling rooted in our own realities.
Audience Fatigue Is Real
Today’s viewers are sharp. They’ve already binge-watched the original Breaking Bad, Fleabag, or Big Little Lies. So when a remake arrives, it’s often greeted with skepticism—or worse, boredom.
Even younger audiences aren’t spared. Shows like Modern Love (adapted in multiple Indian cities) have faced criticism for lacking the charm and emotional restraint of the original series.
Where Is the Original Indian Voice?
India is a land of infinite stories—rural, urban, queer, nostalgic, absurd, revolutionary. Yet we keep recycling international tales in a subcontinental accent.
There have been bright exceptions:
Delhi Crime, Paatal Lok, Made in Heaven, Kohrra—these shows worked not because they were safe, but because they were real, risky, and rooted.
Instead of mimicking the West, we need to lean into our own messiness. Our storytelling has the potential to shock, soothe, and surprise the world—if only we dare to write it.
What’s Your Take?
Do remakes deserve a place on our watchlists—or are they stifling the rise of fresh, Indian narratives?
