Netflix's Director of International original film Srishti Behl Arya steps down

By: WE Staff | Monday, 24 May 2021

Srishti Behl Arya, Netflix's director of international original film, is stepping down after more than three years with the company. Arya has commissioned and backed a slate of original film titles for the service, including Guilty, AK vs AK, Bulbbul, and Serious Men, in addition to its first Tamil and Telugu films, Paava Kadhaigal and Pitta Kathalu.  

Arya had joined Netflix in May 2018 and had played a major role in bolstering the platform’s library. Her last day with Netflix will be Friday, May 21, 2021.

Arya, who reported to Monika Shergill, Netflix's vice-president of content for India, joined the company in May 2018 and was one of its first hires in the country. Prior to joining Netflix, she worked as an independent producer in the Indian film and television industry, where she was known for TV shows such as Reporters, Guns & Roses, Remix, and Lipstick, as well as films such as I, Me, aur Main and London, Paris, New York, among others. Shergill will now lead the company’s movie plans.

“Srishti has played a foundational role in building our original film slate in India, launching 35 titles over three years with critical acclaim and fandom including Guilty, AK vs AK, Bulbbul and Serious Men, and our first Tamil and Telugu films, with Paava Kadhaigal and Pitta Kathalu. We wish her every success and know she will bring her passion for storytelling to her future endeavours," Shergill said in a statement.

Earlier this year, the Reed Hastings-owned platform celebrated five years in India and announced 40+ originals, stating that it plans to expand its slate by nearly three times by 2020 as it programmes across languages and genres.

Sonakshi Sinha's Bulbul Tarang, Kartik Aaryan's Dhamaka, Taapsee Pannu's Haseen Dilruba, Karan Johar's Meenakshi Sundareshwar, a Tamil anthology titled Navarasa, and Abbas Mustan's Penthouse are among the upcoming films on the service. In the March quarter, Netflix added 3.98 million paid subscriptions worldwide, including 1.36 million in the Asia-Pacific region. While it does not disclose India-specific figures, Media Partners Asia, an independent provider of research, advisory, and consulting services across the media, telecom, and technology industries in Asia Pacific, estimates that they are in the 4.6 million range.

“Leading the Netflix originals film team in India over the last three years has been the adventure of a lifetime. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and have learned so much along the way. I couldn’t be more proud of the stories we’ve told, from first time directors, female filmmakers, established voices and so many fresh faces. I wish this wonderful team all the very best and can't wait to see what's ahead," Arya said in a statement.

The film continues to be a focus and priority investment for Netflix in India, and the India content team, led by Shergill, will continue to expand the library.

OTT players such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+Hotstar, and Zee5 have experienced massive growth in the Indian market in recent years, owing to low data tariffs and the availability of low-cost smartphones.

Consumption of content from these platforms - ranging from web series to movies to original content - is also increasing on smart TVs, as the prices of these devices have dropped significantly in recent years.