The Great Indian Kapil Show tops Netflix India, pushing Stranger Things Season 5 finale to second place. Stranger Things finale drew over 35 million global views but failed to dominate Indian charts.
New Delhi| January 1, 2026, 5:50 PM (IST): In a surprising turn for the global streaming giant, Indian comedy has outperformed Hollywood spectacle on Netflix India. The Great Indian Kapil Show, hosted by Kapil Sharma, claimed the number one position on Netflix India’s trending chart, overtaking the highly anticipated finale of Stranger Things Season 5.
The upset unfolded early Thursday morning, just hours after Stranger Things released its final episode, titled “The Rightside Up,” at 6:30 AM IST. The two-hour-plus finale marked the end of the Duffer Brothers’ iconic sci-fi series, nearly a decade after its debut.
This is the last stranger things trailer. ever. 🥹❤️
— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) December 30, 2025
Watch Stranger Things 5: The Finale, out 1 January at 6:30 AM IST, only on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/kt92HqX5Ci
Globally, the finale attracted over 35 million views and was screened in more than 350 theatres across North America. However, despite its worldwide buzz, the episode settled for second place in India, reflecting a stark contrast between global and local audience preferences.
Cricket, Comedy, and Cultural Connect
The decisive edge for Kapil Sharma’s show came from a star-studded episode featuring India’s victorious women’s cricket team. The December 27 episode celebrated India’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup triumph in November 2025, tapping into nationwide pride.
Team captain Harmanpreet Kaur appeared alongside key players Richa Ghosh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Renuka Singh, Harleen Deol, Radha Yadav, and Pratika Rawal, with head coach Amol Muzumdar also joining the festivities.
Yeh hai humare champions, aur ye raha unka victory episode 😉 pic.twitter.com/BDGdvSpY5x
— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) December 27, 2025
The episode blended humour, candid conversations, and cricketing nostalgia elements that strongly resonated with Indian audiences. Cricket’s unmatched emotional pull in India played a critical role in pushing the show to the top of Netflix’s domestic rankings.
Mixed Response to Stranger Things Finale in India
While Stranger Things remains a global phenomenon, Indian fan reactions to Season 5 were divided. On social media, several viewers described the final season as the franchise’s weakest, citing pacing issues and an underwhelming conclusion.
This lukewarm response likely contributed to its inability to dominate the Indian charts, despite massive international engagement.
Numbers Tell the Story
According to Ormax Media, Season 4 of The Great Indian Kapil Show; which premiered on December 20, 2025, with Priyanka Chopra Jonas as the opening guest has recorded 2.3 million views, placing it second among India’s top non-fiction streaming shows.
Meanwhile, FlixPatrol data highlights the show’s exceptional staying power. The Kapil Sharma-led series has remained in Netflix India’s Top 10 for 328 consecutive days, compared to Stranger Things’ 73 days on the chart.
India’s Streaming Shift
The face-off underscores a broader shift in Indian viewing habits. Audiences are increasingly gravitating toward homegrown content rooted in local culture, language, and shared experiences, even when competing against globally marketed franchises.
Kapil Sharma’s mix of satire, celebrity banter, and cultural familiarity continues to outperform international big-budget productions in India’s crowded streaming landscape.
New episodes of The Great Indian Kapil Show stream every Saturday at 8:00 PM IST on Netflix, reinforcing its position as one of India’s most dependable digital entertainment draws amid intensifying global streaming competition.
