Mirzapur has topped a decade of Indian streaming, according to a new IMDb report — even as the number of new shows being commissioned in India falls for a second straight year. Viewer interest in Indian shows on IMDb rose about 17-fold over the past decade, a boom built increasingly on franchises rather than fresh commissions.
Mirzapur (Credits: Variety)
“10 Years of Streaming in India – An IMDb Report 2026” draws on page views from the more than 250 million people who visit IMDb worldwide each month. It ranks each year’s 10 biggest Indian series from 2016 to 2026, a total of 110 slots filled by 64 different shows, and looks beyond the top tier at how viewing habits and production patterns have shifted.
Mirzapur tops a decade of Indian streaming on IMDb
Mirzapur led the ranking with nine appearances, making the list every year since its debut. No other show matched that staying power. Scam 1992 was the only show to appear five times on the strength of a single season, a remarkable feat for a one-season series.
Crime and thriller series dominated the decade, accounting for 48 of the 110 positions. In later years, however, horror, romance, comedy and drama all gained ground, suggesting audiences have broadened their tastes even as crime remains the anchor genre.
New commissions fall as franchises rise
The paradox at the heart of the report is that audience interest keeps climbing while new supply shrinks. The number of new shows and seasons commissioned in India has now dropped for two consecutive years, even as viewer interest in Indian shows has grown roughly 17-fold over the decade.
Platform patterns tell their own story. Prime Video and Amazon MX Player together took 34 positions across 17 series, more than any other streaming service, while Netflix had 21 positions across 18 series — the widest range of distinct titles among the platforms covered.
YouTube also played a crucial launchpad role: 13 of the 64 ranked series started there, and 11 were later picked up by subscription services. The report credits YouTube with giving a broad base of creators room to develop stories capable of reaching larger audiences.
The Viral Fever (TVF) stands out as the decade’s most consistent hitmaker, behind nine of the ranked series and 17 of the Top 10 slots — close to one in every six entries — in a run stretching from TVF Pitchers in 2016 to Sapne vs Everyone in 2026.
The takeaway is clear: Indian streaming’s first decade was defined by breakout originals, but its next phase may be defined by fewer, bigger bets on proven franchises like Mirzapur.
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Source: Variety — read the full story there.
