Netflix's Great Indian Kapil Show: High budget, low viewership success

After a successful seven-year run on Sony Entertainment Television (SET), Kapil Sharma’s chat show has transitioned to Netflix, finding a new audience. The Great Indian Kapil Show, now streaming on the global OTT platform, has seen production costs rise by approximately 60% compared to its TV predecessor.

Industry estimates indicate that each episode's production cost on Netflix is around Rs 4 crore, excluding actor expenses, compared to Rs 2.5 crore per episode for the TV version. Netflix reports that the show has been well-received, trending in the global top ten non-English shows for four consecutive weeks.

Kapil Sharma is said to command a fee of Rs 5 crore per episode, with other cast members earning between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 25 lakh each. , The show will follow a seasonal format, with each season comprising 10 episodes.

An anonymous industry expert estimated that the current season of The Great Indian Kapil Show costs approximately Rs 100-120 crore. They noted that, including production expenses, talent fees, and guest appearances, Netflix's total cost could range between Rs 100-150 crore.

Despite the show's strong fan following on SET, which aired its final episode in July 2023, there has been a noticeable decline in viewership on Netflix after the initial episodes. An industry observer mentioned that the show's return after a seven-month hiatus generated significant buzz, but viewership waned as the format remained largely unchanged.

The observer also pointed out that comparing digital viewership to linear TV is unfair, as TV is a mass medium while digital platforms are considered premium. On SET, the show aired twice a week, while on Netflix, new episodes are released every Saturday, with seven episodes aired so far.