Nagesh Kukunoor on OTT slump and more: Rush from season 1 faded, we were happily self-censoring by season 3 thanks to corporatization

Nagesh Kukunoor agreed to OTT slump, especially after corporatization of content. The director of Madhuri Dixit's Mrs Deshpande recalled his own reaction in the situation and more.

Nagesh Kukunoor

2025 has been the year when OTT faced quite a slump with various seasons being cancelled. It had been a challenge in many ways, all of which was discussed on the recently held roundtable at The Showrunners. Black Warrant maker Vikramaditya Motwane, Paatal Lok Season 2’s Sudip Sharma, The Family Man Season 3’s Raj & DK, Khauf maker Smita Singh, The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case director Nagesh Kukunoor and Black, White and Gray director Pushkar Sunil Mahabal gathered to speak on various topics, including how OTT has witnessed its worse era yet in the year that went by.

We complain, hurl abuses and continue doing what we do: Nagesh Kukunoor

A writer informed The Showrunners that projects have dried up and shows are getting cancelled while interference is at an all-time high. When asked their opinion at the round table, Nagesh Kukunoor spoke about the slump on OTT. The director, whose upcoming series Mrs Deshpande featuring Madhuri Dixit as a serial killer, chose to speak on the topic. Agreeing with the writer, Kukunoor said, "If you're asking it's gotten so bad that we won't do it, that is not the case. The bottom line is, no matter how much we complain or hurl abuses, we'll still continue doing what we do. Therein lies the answer."

‘Rush from season 1 faded, we were happily self-censoring by season 3’

"I've been around for a very long time. I've seen crap go up and down, all around, specifically when the 'corporatization' began. I've been along the journey and each time, there's just so much insane crap that you have to deal with," he recalled, stating that there have been numerous moments where he walked out of meeting hurling abuses but got his work done anyway.

"From our first seasons to the following seasons, the kind of stuff that has gone down where everything seems like a compromise," the director shared, adding, "The kind of rush we had with season 1 just began evaporating by the time we started writing season 2. By the time season 3 came around, no one needed to tell us anything. We were just happily self-censoring, so... things changed but we found a way to get our stories told."

‘If not storytelling, where else are you going to take the risks?,’ asks Sudip Sharma

Ask Sudip Sharma of Paatal Lok 2 fame if you're okay after having a position of power, he denies the statement. "These are different times. I'll be honest. Everyone's acting very super safe. The one thing I've learned about this business is that the surest way to be safe is to play safe. It's about knowledge in their field alone." Shunning the idea, he adds, "This is a business that is built on risks. If not storytelling, where else are you going to take those risks? So, yeah, it's tough."

About Nagesh Kukunoor’s Mrs Deshpande

Mrs. Deshpande is the story about a serial killer. Madhuri plays the lead role in the series which is scheduled for release on JioHotstar via OTTplay Premium on December 19, 2025.

Mrs Deshpande FAQs:

Q: When is the Mrs Deshpande series release date?

A: The highly anticipated thriller series Mrs Deshpande starring Madhuri Dixit, is scheduled to premiere exclusively on JioHotstar (OTTplay Premium) on December 19, 2025.

Q: Who is starring in Mrs Deshpande?

A: The series features Bollywood veteran Madhuri Dixit in the titular lead role as Mrs Deshpande, a woman with a dark secret—she is a serial killer. The cast also includes Siddharth Chandekar and Priyanshu Chatterjee in key roles.

Q: Is Mrs Deshpande a remake of a foreign show?

A: Yes, Mrs Deshpande is an official Indian adaptation of the acclaimed 2017 French psychological thriller miniseries, La Mante (The Mantis).

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