Industry insiders, including PrawnHub’s Chief of Business, are claiming that Netflix’s recent surge in moans, groans, and entirely unnecessary bedroom scenes have been “highly unoriginal” and, quite frankly, “stealing their lunch.” The Chief, who wished to remain anonymous because he still does have a family, went on record saying, “It seems Netflix is trying to behave like a porn company. And we, for one, are not happy about it. If anyone’s cashing in on pornography, it’s going to be us. Netflix needs to stay in their lane, and that lane is family-friendly ‘Social Cause’ dramas, not this steamy mess they’re calling ‘romance’.”
Netflix’s moaning moment seems to have started with shows like Sex Education, followed by Bridgerton, The Fifty Shades of India, and Moan City. It’s no secret that the global streaming giant has taken a deep dive into sultry territory, but the industry is questioning: just how far is too far?
To get a better understanding of the situation, Faking Daily Staff spoke to one of Netflix’s most vocal critics, a Toronto-based chief of a rival adult content provider who, like his counterpart, wished to remain unnamed for "reasons too steamy to explain."
“I'm appalled," he said, his voice filled with righteous indignation. "It’s one thing to sell soft-core porn, but to disguise it as ‘love and romance’? It's an insult to our industry! We’ve been putting out content that is hot and bothered with no illusions. Meanwhile, Netflix is dressing it up in fancy costumes and calling it a ‘social cause.’”
Yes, apparently, Netflix has gone so far as to sneak in pseudointellectual moans under the guise of love stories. Shows that might be sold as heartwarming tales of overcoming adversity now feature characters who appear to have gotten lost in the moan section of the script.
Bollywood has been quick to jump on this bandwagon, too. "This is exactly why we’ve been trying to make kissing in the rain look romantic for decades,” said one anonymous Bollywood filmmaker. “We’ve been trying to make ‘chemistry’ a thing, now Netflix comes along and invents 'moaning' chemistry. They’re just one pillow fight away from a Kama Sutra 2.0."
Netflix’s attempts at being “subtle” have not gone unnoticed in India, where saas-bahu sagas are practically a cultural institution. To the surprise of many, the Indian audience seems to be embracing the Netflix moans, which are somehow more satisfying than the plot twists in Money Heist. But how much of this trend can India take? The tension is palpable.
“It’s the new normal,” said a 25-year-old viewer from Delhi who’s hooked on Bridgerton. “Earlier, we used to look for romance in our favourite K-dramas or late-night Bollywood reruns. But now, Netflix has made it easier. You don't have to scroll through endless websites, trying to find what really piques your interest. Just a few clicks, and you’ve got yourself a full dose of drama, steamy romance, and plot holes.”
We asked this viewer if they noticed the blaring moans or the sudden appearance of gratuitous sex scenes. “Oh, those? Not really. I thought that’s what came with the ‘Social Cause’ genre, yaar. I was more interested in the great chemistry between the lead characters. And the moaning? Well, it’s like the sound of victory after a long-winded battle with the plot."
India, with its rich history of Pyaar Ka Mausam, seems to have found a new kind of season: Kama Sutra Ki Kahani.
Meanwhile, Netflix’s Indian viewers seem more perplexed by the fact that Netflix is suddenly swarming with eroticism that feels oddly mainstream. Kabir Singh fans are having a field day, as Moan City seems like an appropriate progression of the ‘angst-ridden’ genre that Bollywood films have been serving up since the dawn of time.
Rajnish Kumar, a regular user of Netflix who has had an aversion to online “adult content”, said, “I joined Netflix for the documentaries and wholesome content about food and travel. Now all I’m watching are these couples that are ‘saving the world’ with their ‘passionate kisses’. It’s getting to the point where my mother is asking me what’s so ‘educational’ about these love scenes.”
As Netflix continues to lean heavily into its steamy genre, it’s clear that some boundaries are being pushed—and not all viewers are impressed. One conservative group based in Mumbai has already launched a petition to demand that Netflix bring back more content that is “morally upright.” The petition reads, “Please, no more love scenes disguised as ‘helping the community’ and no more moans. The only moans I need are from the neighbourhood aunty when her parathas get overcooked.”
But not everyone is upset. In fact, a new wave of influencers has emerged in the Indian entertainment scene, boasting the ability to analyze and ‘rate’ moans in OTT shows. An Instagram page by the name of ‘MoanMeter’ has gathered tens of thousands of followers who are dedicated to “charting” every moan and groan in Netflix’s latest shows. One influencer, Simran Bedi, shared her review of Moan City: "The moans were dramatic, yet intimate. 3 out of 5 stars, could’ve used more passion in the third act."