IMDb Data Shows Indian Streaming Interest Up 17-Fold, Yet New Show Orders Drop

Viewer interest in Indian series on IMDb has increased roughly 17 times over the last ten years. This surge in audience attention occurred while the number of new shows and seasons commissioned in the country declined for the second consecutive year. A new study from IMDb traces these shifts by analyzing page views from more than 250 million monthly users worldwide.

The report, titled '10 Years of Streaming in India. An IMDb Report 2026,' ranks the ten most popular Indian series for each year from 2016 to 2026. These 110 ranking slots were filled by 64 distinct shows. Crime and thriller genres dominated the list, occupying 48 of the positions. In recent years, horror, romance, comedy, and drama categories have gained ground within the top rankings.

The show 'Mirzapur' appears in the top ten every year since its launch, securing nine spots on the list. 'Scam 1992' is the only title to chart five times based on a single season. Among platforms, Prime Video and Amazon MX Player combined for 34 positions across 17 series. Netflix followed with 21 positions spread over 18 series, representing the widest range of distinct titles among the services examined.

YouTube served as a launchpad for many successful productions. Thirteen of the 64 charting series started on the platform, and 11 of those were later acquired by subscription services. The production company The Viral Fever, or TVF, was behind nine of the charting series and 17 of the top ten slots. This run began with 'TVF Pitchers' in 2016 and continues with 'Sapne vs Everyone' in 2026.

Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Vikrant Massey, Jitendra Kumar, Kapil Sharma, and Sunil Grover were named as key performers in the report. The study also identified Kay Kay Menon, Naveen Kasturia, and Mona Singh as the most versatile actors, each appearing in at least five series in varied roles. Actors such as Shahid Kapoor, Vijay Sethupathi, Samantha, Barun Sobti, and Karan Tacker were noted for bringing established screen personas into new formats.

Production numbers indicate a more cautious market. Commissions for new series and seasons reached 202 in 2023, dropped to 169 in 2024, and fell to 145 in 2025. Hindi-language shows accounted for 66% of Indian streaming originals in 2025. Yaminie Patodia, head of IMDb India, said the company used its data to understand how a decade of streaming has reshaped audience interests. IMDb is owned by Amazon.

Patodia stated that the report aims to empower professionals with the data they rely on for creative and business decisions. The study also includes input from industry leaders such as Gaurav Gandhi of Prime Video, Gunjan Soni of YouTube, and Monika Shergill of Netflix. Former Applause CEO Sameer Nair and Vijay Koshy of TVF also contributed to the analysis of what comes next for the industry.