Netflix is expanding its global unscripted portfolio with exciting local adaptations, bringing world-class reality formats to new audiences in India. Lock Upp's success proves Indian viewers crave premium original content, and Netflix is positioned to deliver just that.
Insiders say Shergill has been quietly scouting production partners for months. The speculation? A potential Indian Love Is Blind—with the country's massive wedding culture making it a no-brainer hit. One source close to the matter says multiple formats are being evaluated, but Netflix is keeping everything under wraps until deals are finalized.
Lock Upp reached 50 million hours of viewing on Netflix India according to Shergill's July 27, 2026 Deadline interview. Shergill confirmed in the same interview that Netflix is developing Netflix-owned unscripted formats for local production without revealing which specific shows are being adapted.
Netflix wants a piece of India's reality TV boom—and with Lock Upp proving the appetite exists, expect announcements soon. The real question: can they crack what makes Indian audiences tick without losing the essence of what made these global hits addictive?
Netflix India is making moves that could reshape the reality television landscape across South Asia. In an exclusive interview published July 27, 2026 by Deadline, Netflix India VP of Content Monika Shergill dropped hints about bringing globally successful unscripted formats to local audiences—without revealing exactly which shows are in development. The timing isn't accidental.
Lock Upp, Netflix India's captive reality series, just crossed a significant threshold: 50 million hours of viewing on the platform. That's not just a number—it's proof that Indian audiences have developed an appetite for premium, high-stakes reality content produced at streaming quality rather than traditional broadcast standards. "We're working on developing Netflix-owned unscripted formats locally," Shergill told Deadline, declining to specify which shows might be adapted for the Indian market.
The vagueness has done nothing to dampen speculation. Industry watchers immediately pointed to Love Is Blind and Too Hot To Handle as obvious candidates—formats that could theoretically translate well given India's massive wedding industry and relationship-focused entertainment culture. The strategic logic is hard to ignore.
Netflix has already seen tremendous success licensing existing formats in other markets, and India represents one of the largest untapped audiences for reality programming at this production level. Local adaptation allows Netflix to control intellectual property while tailoring content to cultural sensibilities—a win-win that also protects against regulatory complications that have plagued some international formats in Indian markets. What remains unclear is timeline and execution.
Developing a format locally requires finding the right production partners, casting directors who understand regional nuances, and securing locations that can accommodate the elaborate setups these shows demand. Shergill's carefully worded non-answers suggest Netflix is deep into this process but hasn't reached announcements-ready stages yet. For competitors watching from the sidelines—Hotstar, JioCinema, and emerging players all have skin in this game—the message is clear: Netflix isn't content to merely license reality programming for India.
They want ownership, creativity, and the global halo that comes with successful original formats. Lock Upp's milestone has given them the confidence to push forward, even if Shergill isn't ready to tell us exactly what's coming next.
