Sudhir Mishra wonders how Adolescence is trending at #1 on Netflix in India: ‘Violates every rule of bad script writing'

Sudhir Mishra confessed that he was inspired to watch Adolescence after being swayed by the glowing reviews from Hansal Mehta and Shekhar Kapur.

Filmmaker Sudhir Mishra has raised eyebrows with his candid critique of Indian audiences' admiration for the Netflix show Adolescence. He has questioned the show's number-one ranking, saying it defies conventional storytelling norms.

Sudhir Mishra took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his views on the growing popularity of the show in India.

Sudhir Mishra on Adolescence ranking number 1

The filmmaker took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his views on the growing popularity of the show in India.

Sudhir wrote, “How come Adolescence is the No 1 show on Netflix India . All conventional wisdom is against it. Indians are not supposed to like slow burners. It violates every rule of taught by bad script writing schools. It spirals down instead of soaring up. It’s the best news in years".

Sudhir, known for projects such as Dharavi (1992), Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2003), Chameli (2004), and Serious Men (2020), confessed that he was inspired to watch the show after being swayed by the glowing reviews from fellow filmmakers Hansal Mehta and Shekhar Kapur.

One social media user wrote, “It became the most talked about show in the world and had rave reviews from western critics. So, we already went into it convinced that it is a good show. It is actually good, but as you said, we would have found it difficult to sit thru it if we didn't have this pre-conceived notion”.

To which, Sudhir shared, “No, we didn’t. I saw it because @mehtahansal and @shekharkapur were raving about it. In fact, it’s one of those rare shows which was a loved simultaneously across the Netflix universe. By far he way I liked Better call Saul even more”.

About Adolescence

Adolescence is a four-part limited series starring Stephen Graham and newcomer Owen Cooper. It received rave reviews upon release last month and has taken social media by storm. The four-episode series, directed by Philip Barantini, was released on Netflix on March 13 and went on to claim the No. 1 spot worldwide.

Co-created and written by Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne, Adolescence tells the story of a family torn apart after 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is arrested for the murder of a girl in her school. The show explores casual misogyny and the influence of social media on the youth of this generation. Each scene is shot in one take, which is being applauded by all. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has backed an initiative by Netflix to stream the drama series for free to secondary schools across UK, so that as many teens as possible can watch it.