June 8, 2025: Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has fired back at Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos after the latter questioned whether launching Sacred Games as Netflix India’s first original series was a strategic misstep.
Sarandos made the remarks during an appearance on Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, where he suggested that Sacred Games might have been too niche and that a more “populist” show could have better suited Netflix’s entry into the Indian market.
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Kashyap, never one to shy away from controversy, responded via Instagram with a pointed jab:“He should have started with Saas-Bahu… he would have done well. Which he is doing now. I always knew the tech guys are dumb when it comes to storytelling, but @tedsarandos is the definition of dumb — that I didn’t know.”
The filmmaker also posted a screenshot of Sarandos’ comments, making his displeasure clear.
Sacred Games, which premiered in 2018, starred Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui and was co-directed by Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane. It received widespread acclaim for its bold storytelling and cinematic quality, setting a new benchmark for Indian web series. Although its second season received mixed reviews, the show is still considered a groundbreaking moment in India’s OTT history.