India's enduring fascination with its movie stars is finding a new, digital expression. A wave of documentaries and docu-series focusing on legendary film personalities and their families is captivating audiences on streaming platforms, turning the camera lens on Bollywood itself.
The Screen Replaces the Sidewalk
For decades, the ultimate fan experience in Mumbai was gathering outside the bungalows of stars like Amitabh Bachchan for a fleeting Sunday wave. Today, that same intense curiosity is being satisfied on-demand. Platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are hosting a series of high-profile documentaries that pull back the curtain on cinema's inner sanctum.
Recent releases include Netflix's "The Romantics," a deep dive into the legacy of filmmaker Yash Chopra; Amazon's "Angry Young Men," chronicling the iconic writer duo Salim-Javed; and Netflix's "Dining with the Kapoors," an intimate look at the legendary Kapoor family. According to media consulting firm Ormax, The Romantics garnered 6.1 million viewers in 2023, while Angry Young Men attracted 6.6 million in 2024.
"The Indian audience is a hard-core endorser of fandom. OTT platforms have found an opportunity to showcase documentaries which will satisfy this latent need," explains Dr. Abha Wankhede, associate professor at K.J Somaiya Institute of Management.
More Than Just Gossip: Legacy and Control
Unlike reality shows such as "The Kardashians," which thrive on controversy, the Indian film documentaries tend to adopt a more serious tone, focusing on artistic journeys and cinematic legacy. However, experts note a significant strategic layer beneath the storytelling.
Many of these projects are commissioned or produced by the families themselves, serving as sophisticated brand-building exercises. "The Romantics" had Yash Raj Films' Uday Chopra as a producer, "Angry Young Men" was produced by the writers' families, and "Dining with the Kapoors" was created by Raj Kapoor's grandson, Armaan Jain, through his company Aavashyak Media.
"These projects sit at the intersection of storytelling and soft branding. They preserve history while shaping how the next generation interprets Indian cinema," says Vishal Prabhu, creative director at White Rivers Media. Rajnish Rawat of Social Pill calls them "brand films disguised as documentaries," designed to celebrate legacies and ensure the family brand remains relevant for new audiences.
The Credibility and Cost Advantage
Documentaries offer a perceived authenticity that biopics and feature films often smooth over. Jitendra Hirawat of TITO Films points out that while biopics polish reality for dramatic effect, documentaries retain contradictions and raw emotions, creating a credibility that fiction cannot fully replicate.
From a production standpoint, these series are also financially attractive. Vaibhav Gupta of KlugKlug notes they are 50-60% cheaper to make than feature films, as they avoid hefty star fees and box-office risks. They thrive on subscription-based OTT models, allowing for deeper, episodic storytelling without commercial constraints.
For now, the trend represents a win-win scenario. Streaming platforms get buzzy, dedicated content; film families retain narrative control over their histories; and audiences gain unprecedented access to the lives of their idols—all without having to travel to a Mumbai suburb.
