Netflix has revealed that its biggest non-English-language hit of the year so far is not a Netflix original but an Indian theatrical release that later found huge success on the streaming platform. The film, whose box-office run made it the highest-grossing Indian movie ever in North America, underlines how licensed foreign-language films are proving as powerful for Netflix as its own mid-budget original productions, and highlights India's growing importance to the streamer's international strategy alongside South Korean and Spanish-language hits.

According to Netflix's biannual viewership report, the film has racked up 37 million views on the service, matching the total for the breakout South African film 180. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos described it as "the most-watched non-English movie in the world this year" while speaking at an event hosted by the Indian Express in New Delhi. The film grossed $23 million in North America and nearly $150 million worldwide during its theatrical run.