Prime Video India’s Director and Head of Originals, Nikhil Madhok, shared candid insights into the evolution of India’s streaming ecosystem, Prime Video’s accelerating growth, and what truly drives successful content today. In a free-ranging conversation, he spoke about emerging genres, the realities of content greenlighting, building enduring franchises, and why Indian streaming is still waiting for its own original superhero. Here are edited excerpts from the discussion, presented in a generic interview format.
Q: How would you describe Prime Video India’s current phase of growth?
Nikhil Madhok: We are in one of our strongest growth phases yet. Over the last year alone, nearly 25% of viewers streaming content on Prime Video were completely new to the service. At the same time, the scale of content we’re developing is unprecedented for us—across series, films, unscripted shows and regional stories. We have over 100 Originals at various stages of development and production, and we’ve also stepped into producing films for theatrical release. Experimentation across genres is at an all-time high.
Q: In the early years, thrillers dominated streaming. Has that changed?
Nikhil Madhok: Very much so. Early on, thrillers were easier to structure for binge viewing, which is why they stood out. But audiences have always consumed a wide variety of genres. Today, we’re seeing greater confidence—from creators and platforms—in telling emotionally layered stories. Viewers may forget plot points, but they remember how a show made them feel. That’s why rooted stories like Panchayat, Gram Chikitsalay and Dupahiya, or female-led narratives such as Khauf, resonate so strongly.
Q: There’s increasing focus on diversity and representation. How is Prime Video approaching this?
Nikhil Madhok: It’s embedded in how we build content. Over 80% of our Originals currently in development or production have women in HOD roles, and around 60% feature women in writers’ rooms. This naturally reflects in fresher perspectives and more authentic storytelling.
Q: What does the greenlighting process look like at Prime Video?
Nikhil Madhok: We receive around 500–600 pitches every month, so the filtering is intense. What we look for is originality, clarity of intent and conviction. It’s not about ticking a brief. When a pitch is designed only to fit a perceived requirement, it shows. The ideas that stand out are those creators deeply believe in and have fully developed. Shows like Khauf and Dupahiya came from first-time creators who arrived with fully realised worlds.
Q: Is star casting essential to get a project approved?
Nikhil Madhok: Not at all. We’re not chasing big names—we’re looking for great talent. Mirzapur is a classic example where actors became stars because of their performances. Similarly, Khauf featured several newcomers. Strong storytelling will always trump star power.
Q: How do you sustain successful franchises and keep audiences coming back?
Nikhil Madhok: Creating a hit IP is hard, but sustaining and growing it is even harder. Each new season has to raise the bar. In many cases, newer seasons have attracted three to four times the audience of earlier ones. The Family Man Season 3 is a great example—it became our most-watched series of 2025. Overall, more than 60% of our fiction shows have gone into multiple seasons.
Q: Are audiences open to brand-new IPs?
Nikhil Madhok: Absolutely. First seasons of shows like Call Me Bae, Dupahiya and Khauf performed strongly enough for us to develop additional seasons. In unscripted content too, newer formats like The Traitors and Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle have received encouraging responses.
Q: Finally, what’s the big untapped opportunity in Indian streaming?
Nikhil Madhok: We still haven’t told a compelling story of a true-blue Indian superhero. Not something adapted from Western templates, but something rooted in our culture and mythology. That’s a space full of creative potential—and it could be the next big frontier for Indian streaming.