At the CII Big Picture Summit 2025, Nikhil Madhok, director and head of Originals at Prime Video India, shared insights into the platform’s evolving content strategy, audience behaviour shifts and the future of streaming in India. In a discussion with journalist Suhani Singh, Madhok described 2025 as one of Prime Video’s strongest growth phases, driven by rising viewership and expanding original content investments.
Madhok revealed that 25% of Prime Video’s viewers over the past year were completely new users. He added that the platform now has the highest number of shows and films in development since its India debut, with more than 100 originals in various production stages.
Addressing creative trends, Madhok noted that while crime thrillers initially dominated streaming preferences, viewer appetite has now broadened toward grounded, emotionally rich storytelling. Examples include Panchayat, Gram Chikitsalay and Dupahiya. He also highlighted a shift toward inclusive production environments, stating that over 80% of Prime Video’s upcoming originals have women in Head-of-Department roles, and 60% include women writers.
Madhok emphasised Prime Video’s philosophy of prioritising strong narratives over star-powered casting. Franchises such as Mirzapur, he said, demonstrated how compelling character-driven content can transform lesser-known talent into cultural icons.
Discussing multi-season IPs, Madhok said The Family Man 3 became the most-watched Indian series of 2025, with several other titles – scripted and unscripted – already in development for additional seasons.
Looking forward, he hinted at untapped possibilities, including India’s need for a culturally rooted homegrown streaming superhero universe – a direction he believes is now creatively and commercially viable.
