Netflix: Streamer's Avenue

Netflix, with its coveted hoard, is here. But censorship and cost can curb its appeal.

- Arushi Bedi

Do you come bleary-eyed to work because you’ve been trying to download the latest episode of Narcos till 3 am? Does your net connection always snap at 86 per cent, as The Wolf of Wall Street is reaching its climax? Say good bye to all that, for the superstar of films and TV shows on the internet, the US giant Netflix, is here in India. One can now binge-watch seasons of Game of Thrones or Golden Globe winner The Revenant anywhere, anytime—standing in a queue on one’s mobile, between meetings on one’s laptop, or at home. With internet services improving, Netflix’s entry was inevitable. But can Indians easily accept the idea of paying for downloading?

“The ease of access is unmatched by any other service available in the country. One  can find most TV shows in one place and the quality of the product is very good,” says Neha Agarwal, a business executive from Gurgaon, who has subscribed to the service, which is available free in its trial period of a month. The portal provides three options for subscription, with the cheapest pack starting at Rs 500 a month, and the advanced pack setting you back by Rs 850 a mo­ nth, with access to HD content. It seems quite reasonable. Or is it? However ‘light’ the website might be, streaming video content is hard and, crucially, costly. Internet service providers charge a steep fee and even the ones that provide faster speeds either have a data cap, after which the speed becomes painfully slow, or have pricey top­ ups. Streaming a 42­minute episode in HD on Netflix can be from 1 to 3 GB—often provider’s upper limit to internet packs.