Netflix India's true crime drama Delhi Crime just won the International Emmy for Best Drama. This is a watershed moment not only for India but also for the industries of other emerging markets as it will encourage them to come up with more quality content for global audiences. While Indian TV programs in the recent years have often been criticized for their lack of quality and depth, the entry of these global OTTs have infused fresh concepts and big budgets, enabling fresh talents to come up with world class content and this success of Delhi Crime proves it. Here are five reasons why this can change the game.
International Exposure
So far, most of the International (i.e. non-US) Emmy winners have been from the developed countries of Europe. The most famous and popular of them is Spanish crime drama Money Heist. Yes, that's right. Delhi Crime is now at the same level as Money Heist! This will immediately give it more exposure and make the foreign audience take it more seriously. In the long run this will help the entire industry as it will pave the way for other talents just like Parasite did for Korean films.
Realism
Indian films and serials are generally not known for realism. While it does have a rich tradition of arthouse films but they never enjoyed mass popularity or commercial success. Even other popular OTT serieses like Sacred Games or Mirzapur have been highly dramatic. In comparison, director Richie Mehta has approached the difficult subject matter in a matter of fact manner, with being too dramatic, emotional, or even preachy, which was the easiest thing to do. So, one can hope that this success of Delhi Crime will encourage more realistic programs focusing on important issues affecting the society.
Acting above X Factor
Shefali Shah leads this stellar ensemble cast full of great actors who rarely get their dues in Bollywood. Shah herself has been in the industry for a while. She's done well but mostly in supporting roles, never enjoying the limelight she deserved. The most famous name in the cast is Adil Hussain but he does a small supporting role. Meaty roles have gone to veterans like Rajesh Tailang, who rarely gets top billing. Delhi Crime has given a lot of actors their biggest breaks yet.
True Crime as a Genre
True Crime is a popular genre in the West but not seen in India often. Maybe people avoid them as it gets too relatable for comfort. However, this is exactly the purpose of this genre. It addresses the ills of our society and makes us face uncomfortable questions. Delhi Crime reminded us of that ghastly incident of 2013 and even made us go deeper into it. Hopefully there will be more of these.
Future of OTTs
This win will also have a positive impact on the image of OTTs in India. Of late, OTTs like Netflix have gotten into a lot of political problems in India. Some critics have complained of lack of censorship in OTTs while some others have complained about political leanings and messaging of these programs. Delhi Crime's success will force even the critics to take the platform more seriously and lead to healthier debates.
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