NEW DELHI: The Multiplex Association of India (MAI) on Sunday raised strong objections to the proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by global streaming major Netflix, warning that the deal could significantly hurt India’s theatrical ecosystem.
India’s cinema business relies on a steady pipeline of international and local releases to draw audiences, MAI said, adding that the acquisition of a major Hollywood studio by a dominant streaming platform — which has “historically deprioritised” theatrical releases — threatens both competition and the broader film economy.
“The Indian theatrical market thrives on choice, scale and cultural diversity. Warner Bros. has been a key partner to Indian cinemas, contributing consistently to our release calendar with global and local titles,” MAI President Kamal Gianchandani said.
He argued that cinemas in India function as economic engines and cultural hubs, supporting millions of livelihoods across production, distribution, exhibition and related services.
“Netflix has consistently made it clear through its limited and highly restrictive approach to theatrical releases that it does not believe in the cinema-first model,” Gianchandani said. If the acquisition goes ahead, he warned of a “meaningful reduction in high-quality content” for cinemas, along with shortened or even eliminated theatrical windows.
Such a shift would impact revenues, reduce consumer choice, and weaken the entire film value chain, he added, calling for regulatory scrutiny of the consolidation. “MAI will continue to highlight these concerns to regulatory authorities both in India and internationally.”
MAI, set up in 2002 under FICCI, represents over 11 cinema chains that operate more than 550 multiplexes with over 3,000 screens across the country.
Netflix, Inc. on Friday announced that it would acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD), including its iconic film and television studios as well as streaming brand HBO Max and HBO, in a cash-and-stock transaction valuing the deal at an enterprise value of about USD 82.7 billion.
The acquisition aims to combine Netflix’s global streaming scale and technology with Warner Bros.’ century-old catalogue and franchises, including Game of Thrones, The Wizard of Oz, DC Universe, The Sopranos and The Big Bang Theory. These properties will join Netflix’s existing slate featuring global hits such as Wednesday, Money Heist and Bridgerton. The deal marks one of the biggest consolidation moves in global media and entertainment, further reshaping an industry rapidly shifting toward streaming-first business models.