Published Online:March 2026
Product Name:The IUP Journal of Case Folio
Product Type:Article
Product Code:IJCF050326
DOI:10.71329/CaseFolio/2026.26.1.53-63
Author Name:Shweta Sharma, Neeta Mathur and Mihir Tewari
Availability:YES
Subject/Domain:Management
Download Format:PDF
Pages:53-63
This case study analyzes the dynamic and highly competitive OTT video streaming industry in India, using Netflix as a central focus to explore its strategic challenges and market opportunities. It traces Netflix’s journey from its global success to the cautious and evolving approach it has preferred to use in India, where it had to contend with unique obstacles such as price sensitivity, diverse regional content preferences, and aggressive competition from Amazon Prime Video and domestic platforms such as Hotstar and JioCinema. This case spotlights Netflix’s attempts to recalibrate its pricing models, expand vernacular content, and deepen its localization strategy amid growing consumer demand and a rapidly digitizing economy. It is set against the backdrop of a major industry development—the JioCinema-Hotstar merger. This case is particularly suitable for AI-supported learning environments, where AI tools can be used to simulate pricing experiments, analyze consumer behavior data, and evaluate alternative strategic moves. This invites a critical analysis of market fit, platform economics, and the role of innovation in high-growth, low-margin contexts.
On March 27, 2025, JioHotstar, the video streaming service born out of the merger of Disney+Hotstar and Jio Cinema, crossed the 100 million subscriber mark, according to a statement released by the company. American OTT platform Netflix too had entered the Indian market on January 6, 2016, hoping to ultimately gain 100 million subscribers. However, as per industry experts, it had only 12 million subscribers in India as of December 2024.