Sep 12, 2026 1:26pm IST
Why Aatish Kapadia and Jamnadas Majethia Chose OTT Over TV: ‘We Will Not Support Regressive Storytelling’ (EXCLUSIVE)
The Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) report on TV’s weekly reach points to a gradual shift in viewing habits, with television’s reach declining to 741 million in FY26 from 750 million in FY25, as audiences increasingly gravitate towards OTT platforms. The changing landscape is also reflected in the journeys of Aatish Kapadia and Jamnadas Majethia, the creative powerhouses behind hit television shows like “Khichdi,” “Sarabhai vs Sarabhai” and “Baa Bahoo Aur Baby.” The duo embraced the digital world with “Happy Family: Conditions Apply” in 2023 and is now returning with the sitcom “Chumbak” on Netflix.
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Discussing the reasons behind the shift in their approach, in an exclusive conversation with Variety India, Kapadia says, “People have big TVs at home with access to all the channels, but if you don’t make programs for them, they will run away. There has been a lot of regressive content on TV lately, which we don’t believe in. We will not do regressive storytelling. We are not perfect and have faltered, but our mindset has always been progressive. We cannot do misogynistic storytelling. If makers don’t have that awareness, audiences in Tier-1 and Tier-2 will say, ‘There is nothing for us here.’”
Meanwhile, JD Majethia believes that the rise of one entertainment medium is bound to impact another. “When TV came, cinema was impacted. Similarly, after TV, people’s attention has switched to OTT platforms, YouTube and social media.”
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The duo believes that their latest creation, “Chumbak,” will bring entire families back into the living rooms. “It will appeal to every family. Whether you take a small center, midtown, or metro city, they will watch it. Wherever there’s a family who can understand Hindi comedy, even with subtitles, they will tune in,” says Majethia.
Of “Chumbak”’s 16 episodes, eight are currently streaming on Netflix.
Read More About: Aatish Kapadia, Chumbak, Jamnadas Majethia, JD Majethia
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