Crime Drama ‘Rana Naidu’ Was the Most-watched Indian Film on Netflix in 2023
- For the first time, the streaming service released global viewing data that included Indian films, series, licensed titles, and originals.
Rana Daggubati starrer “Rana Naidu” was the most-watched Indian content on Netflix, while “Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga,” starring Yami Gautam and Sunny Kaushal came in second, and Shantanu Bagchi’s “Mission Majnu” was on the third spot. The action crime drama was watched for over 46 million hours, while the two films logged in 41 million and 31 million hours, respectively.
The revelations were made in a viewing data released for the first time by the streaming service this week. The list includes the most-watched Indian titles, including series, films, acquisitions, licensed titles, and originals.
The report comes “amid criticism for not being transparent about how content performs on its platform,” the BBC reported. “The criticism was central to this year’s Hollywood strikes, which paralyzed the film and television industry for several months,” the report added. Actors and writers have been demanding higher royalties for shows that performed well on streaming platforms.
The first season of “The Night Agent” was the most-watched Netflix show, with over 812 million hours, with second slot going to “Ginny & Georgia: Season 2”with 665 million.
The fourth and final season of “Never Have I Ever” had 163 million viewing hours. The coming-of age drama created by Mindy Kaling and and Lang Fisher, and centers on the complicated life of Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), a modern-day first-generation Indian American teenage girl. She’s an overachieving high school sophomore with a short fuse that gets her into difficult situations.
The second season of “The Bridgerton,” starring British Indian actress Simone Ashley, was watched for more than 133 million hours. The 26-year-old plays 26 plays Anthony Bridgerton’s love interest Kate Sharma.
Over 30 million watched the third season of “Indian Matching,” directed by Smriti Mundhra, and follows Sima Aunty (Sima Taparia), “a nosy auntie type who is paid to marry off clients in India and the United States” who is seen matchmaking for people from New York to New Delhi, Miami to London, and even revisiting some of her former clients who still haven’t been able to find love.
Some of the Indian titles on the list include:
Rana Naidu — 46,300,00
Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga — 41,700,00
Mission Majnu — 31,200,000
Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway – 29.600,000
Class: Season 1 – 27,700,000
Tu Jhooti Main Makkar — 27, 100,000
Shezada — 24,800,00
An Action Hero — 15,600,000
Gumrah — 14,700,000
Khaki: The Bihar Chapter Season 1 — 14,3000,000
Scoop Season 1 — 17,300,000
Train By Fire: Limited Series — 13,1000,000
Kathal A Jackfruit Mystery — 12,900,000
Circus — 12,200,000
Double XL — 9,200,000
Vadh — 8,600,000
Mighty Little Bheem Season 1 — 8,500,000
Faraaz — 7,800,000
Telugu-language horror thriller Virupaksha — 7,600,000
Kuttey — 7,300,000
Dasara — 7,100,000
Gangubai Kathiawadi — 7,100,000
Kantara – 6,800,000
Vaathi — 6,300,000
Tara Vs. Bilal — 6,200,000
Popular films like “Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani,” “Agneepath,” “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham,” “Lal Sigh Chaddha,” Goodbye,” “Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2,” “Chennai Express,” “Zindagi Na Milegi Doobara,” “Raees,” “Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil ,” “Happy New Year,” and “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham,” also had significant views on the streaming platform.