India’s streaming industry has undergone a major transformation over the past decade, with crime thrillers, popular franchises and digital-first creators shaping audience preferences. A new report by IMDb looks back at this evolution, tracking the series that captured viewers’ attention between 2016 and 2026 and highlighting the platforms, actors and production houses that helped define the industry.

According to an IMDb press release issued on October 27, 2026, the company has unveiled 10 Years of Streaming in India — An IMDb Report 2026. The report analyses the Top 10 Most Popular Indian Series for each year from 2016 to 2026, using page views from more than 250 million monthly visitors to IMDb worldwide. It also examines broader trends in Indian series, including changing audience preferences, the growth of streaming franchises and shifts in production and consumption.

The report covers 64 unique series across 110 positions in IMDb’s annual Top 10 rankings, offering a decade-long view of how India’s streaming landscape has developed. It identifies the continued popularity of titles such as ‘Mirzapur’, ‘Scam 1992’, ‘The Family Man’, ‘Criminal Justice’ and ‘Panchayat’, while highlighting the actors and creators who have maintained audience interest across multiple productions.

One of the report’s key findings is the sustained popularity of ‘Mirzapur’, which appeared nine times on IMDb’s Top 10 Most Popular Indian Series chart, featuring in the rankings every year since its release. Scam 1992 also recorded a notable run, appearing in the chart five times despite having only one season. The findings underline how certain shows have continued to attract attention well beyond their initial release, becoming established names in India’s streaming space.

Crime and thriller shows remained a dominant force during the decade, accounting for 48 of the 110 positions in the annual rankings. However, the report also points to a gradual expansion in audience interest, with horror, romance, comedy and drama gaining ground towards the latter part of the period. The shift reflects the growing range of stories and genres available to Indian viewers as streaming platforms continue to develop their offerings.

Prime Video and Netflix feature prominently

The report also examines the performance of streaming services across the rankings. Prime Video and Amazon MX Player together accounted for 34 of the 110 positions across 17 unique series, giving them more appearances than any other streaming service grouping highlighted in the report.

Netflix recorded 21 positions across 18 unique series, representing the widest range of distinct titles among the streamers highlighted. The findings offer a view of how different platforms have built their presence through a combination of returning franchises and varied original programming.

Among the actors, Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Vikrant Massey, Jitendra Kumar, Kapil Sharma and Sunil Grover were identified as the report’s ‘MVPs of Streaming’. Their appearances across recurring franchises and multiple successful series highlight the role of familiar performers in sustaining audience interest.

Pankaj Tripathi and Ali Fazal have been associated with the continuing popularity of Mirzapur, while Jitendra Kumar has become closely linked with ‘Panchayat’. Vikrant Massey has featured in successful streaming productions, while Kapil Sharma and Sunil Grover have continued to draw audiences through comedy and entertainment formats. Their presence across the report’s findings points to the importance of talent that can connect with viewers across different shows and formats.

The report also identifies Kay Kay Menon, Naveen Kasturia and Mona Singh among the most versatile actors in Indian streaming. Each has featured across five or more series, taking on varied roles rather than being defined by a single recurring franchise. Their work reflects the opportunities streaming has created for performers to explore different characters and genres.

The report’s talent mapping further highlights a growing group of actors who have moved between films, television and streaming. Shahid Kapoor, Vijay Sethupathi, Samantha, Barun Sobti and Karan Tacker are among those cited as multi-hyphenates, demonstrating how performers can bring an established identity to a new medium and connect with audiences in different formats.

YouTube emerges as a launchpad for original series

Beyond streaming platforms, the report highlights YouTube’s role in helping creators develop and test original ideas before reaching wider audiences. Of the 64 unique series featured in the Top 10 chart, 13 began on YouTube, with 11 later acquired by subscription-led streaming services.

The findings underline how digital platforms have created opportunities for creators to build an audience without relying solely on traditional commissioning routes. Series that begin online can develop a following and subsequently find a larger audience through subscription-based services, expanding the range of stories that reach viewers.

Production house The Viral Fever (TVF) also emerged as a significant contributor to India’s streaming landscape. According to the report, TVF accounted for nine unique series and 17 positions in the Top 10 rankings, representing approximately one in every six appearances.

Its run stretches from TVF Pitchers in 2016 to ‘Sapne vs Everyone’ in 2026, illustrating the production house’s continued presence across the decade. The report’s findings point to TVF’s ability to produce titles that remain relevant as audience preferences and the streaming market evolve.

Audience interest rises as commissioning becomes more selective

The report estimates that audience interest in Indian series on IMDb grew approximately 17-fold over the decade. The increase highlights the expansion of India’s streaming audience and the growing attention paid to original series across platforms.

At the same time, the report points to a more selective commissioning environment. The number of new series and seasons commissioned peaked at 202 in 2023 before declining to 169 in 2024 and 145 in 2025. The report attributes this trend to consolidation across the streaming industry, as platforms become more selective about the productions they commission.

Hindi continued to account for the largest share of Indian streaming originals, representing 66 per cent of all such productions in 2025. The figure highlights the continued prominence of Hindi-language content, even as the industry offers stories across a wider range of languages and genres.

The findings also suggest that the success of Indian streaming content is no longer limited to individual hit shows. Returning franchises, established performers, digital-first creators and production houses with a consistent track record have all played a role in shaping audience interest. At the same time, changing genre preferences and a more selective commissioning process point to an industry that continues to adapt.

Announcing the report, Yaminie Patodia, Head of IMDb India, said the company had built on the previous year’s report on Indian cinema to examine how a decade of streaming had reshaped audience interests. She added that IMDb had invited industry leaders, including Gaurav Gandhi of Prime Video, Gunjan Soni of YouTube, Monika Shergill of Netflix, former Applause CEO Sameer Nair and Vijay Koshy of The Viral Fever, to share their perspectives on the industry’s future.

Patodia said the report aims to provide professionals in India with data and insights through IMDb and IMDbPro to support creative and business decisions that will shape the next decade.

Overall, 10 Years of Streaming in India — An IMDb Report 2026 traces the journey of Indian streaming from the emergence of digital-first shows to the continued popularity of major franchises and the growing reach of original series. Its findings highlight the titles, performers and creators that have shaped the past decade, while pointing to an industry where audience interest has expanded even as platforms have become more selective about new productions.