While the internet has been busy dissecting the Stranger Things finale, India’s OTT audience quietly crowned a very different winner last week. Madhuri Dixit’s crime thriller Mrs Deshpande emerged as the most-watched streaming show in the country, overtaking even Netflix’s global phenomenon.
Yes, in India at least, Hawkins took a back seat to Madhuri.
Madhuri Dixit Beats the Upside Down
According to the latest weekly OTT viewership data, Mrs Deshpande led the charts for the week of December 22 to 28. The JioHotstar series clocked 4.2 million views, comfortably ahead of Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2, which managed 3.3 million views after premiering on December 25.
The gap can partly be explained by timing and reach. Mrs Deshpande had a full seven-day viewing window and benefited from JioHotstar’s massive subscriber base, while Stranger Things dropped mid-week, giving it fewer days to rack up numbers in India.
Global vs Local: A Clear Divide
Interestingly, the story flips on the global stage. Internationally, Stranger Things remains untouchable, pulling in over 30 million more views worldwide during the same period. But the Indian data highlights how local stories — especially led by familiar faces — continue to dominate domestic OTT consumption.
Other Shows That Made the Cut
The rest of the top five paints a mixed picture of audience tastes. Netflix’s Single Pala followed with 1.8 million views, while JioHotstar’s Pharma pulled 1.6 million. Prime Video’s Four More Shots Please rounded off the list with 1.3 million views, proving its loyal fan base is still very much intact.
Inside Mrs Deshpande
Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, Mrs Deshpande is the Hindi adaptation of the French thriller La Mante. The series stars Madhuri Dixit as a jailed serial killer who is reluctantly brought in by Mumbai Police when a copycat begins targeting new victims.
Alongside Madhuri, the show features Priyanshu Chatterjee and Siddharth Chandekar in key roles. Released on December 19, the series received mixed critical feedback — strong praise for Madhuri’s chilling performance, but some criticism for its slow-burning narrative.
Stranger Things Still Rules the Bigger Picture
Despite finishing second in India that week, Stranger Things remains a juggernaut. Season 5 rolled out in three parts — Volume 1 in mid-November, Volume 2 on Christmas, and a two-hour finale on New Year’s Eve. The final season alone recorded 34.8 million views, while the show boasts 140 million views overall, making it Netflix’s third most-watched series ever.
Final Words
The numbers tell an interesting story: global franchises may dominate headlines, but Indian audiences still show up in big numbers for local, star-led thrillers. Mrs Deshpande beating Stranger Things at home isn’t just a stat — it’s a reminder that regional relevance can outshine global hype.
