WAVES Summit 2025: Ted Sarandos & Saif Ali Khan on Cinema's Future

Clarifying Cinema's Future

• 💡 Ted Sarandos clarified his earlier remarks about theatrical films being outdated, stating that streaming and traditional cinema can coexist.
• 📌 His perspective was influenced by growing up in Phoenix, Arizona, where access to diverse films was limited, unlike Manhattan with theaters "on every corner."
• 🚀 Streaming provides the opportunity to bring obscure films to global audiences, expanding choice beyond blockbusters.

Netflix's Impact on Indian Storytelling

• 📈 Since the 2018 launch of Sacred Games, Netflix has significantly invested in the Indian market.
• 💰 Between 2021 and 2024, Netflix generated a $2 billion economic impact in India, creating approximately 20,000 jobs for cast and crew.
• 🎬 The platform has produced 150 original films and series across 90 Indian cities.

Global Reach of Indian Content

• 🌍 Last year, 3 billion hours of Indian content were viewed globally on Netflix, averaging 60 million hours weekly.
• ✨ An Indian title consistently appeared in the global top 10 every week, showcasing its growing international influence.
• 🔑 Sarandos encouraged Indian filmmakers to prioritize authentic local stories, asserting that a film not loved in India won't be loved globally.

Filmmaker Guidance and Upcoming Projects

• 🎯 Sarandos advised Indian filmmakers to focus on genuine storytelling rather than trying to "reverse engineer a global hit."
• 📺 He teased upcoming Hindi series including "The Royals" and "The Bad*s of Bollywood,"** the latter marking Aran Khan's directorial debut.

Streaming's Transformative Role

• 🎭 Saif Ali Khan highlighted how streaming allows actors and storytellers to delve deeper into characters, moving beyond past "specific boxes" and formulas.
• 💬 The platform offers an intimacy that facilitates greater detail and exploration in storytelling.
• ✅ Both Sarandos and Khan believe streaming and traditional theaters can thrive together, enriching the overall viewing experience.