Netflix nails the duo who gave one of the biggest hits on Prime Video

Raj & DK have signed a deal with Netflix
(Image credit: Netflix)

The filmmaker duo Raj Nidimoru & Krishna DK have been around in Bollywood since 2003. But the two hit the national headlines with their 2019 spy thriller series The Family Man on Amazon Prime Video. 

The second season the Family Man in 2021 proved to be an even bigger hit than the first season. The hot-shot director-writer team is reportedly working on the third season of the series too. No official word on it is out, though.

But Prime Video's major rival Netflix has kind of snapped them their with a multi-year contract. It is not as if Raj & DK, as they are called, are new to the Netflix universe. They already are the directors and show-runners for a Netflix comedy crime web series set in the 90s named Guns & Gulaabs, which stars, among others, Dulquer Salmaan and Rajkummar Rao. The duo had also earlier produced the Netflix original in Telugu, Cinema Bandi.

So Netflix has not exactly poached into Prime Video's talent. But it is indeed a major catch for Netflix as it has signed a multi-year contract with them, which means they are tied down with the streamer for the next few years at least.

Question mark over The Family Man Season 3    

Poster of The Family Man - Season 2

(Image credit: Amazon Prime Video)

In a statement today, Netflix announced the 'multi-year creative partnership' with the two. Under their D2R Films banner, Raj & DK will develop and produce their upcoming projects for Netflix.

Monika Shergill, VP-Content, Netflix India, said, "Raj & DK are one of the most original creative voices in the country. Along with their unique and ingenious storytelling style, they are also a powerhouse studio. We are excited to continue our relationship with them for a multi-year creative partnership that will bring superlative entertainment to Netflix members around the world."

The platform did not spell out for how long is the contract binding.   

Raj & DK, for their part said, "Netflix is a pioneer in the streaming space backed by its unstinting, passionate support for filmmaking and filmmakers. We are looking forward to creating big, unique stories and challenging ourselves to push the storytelling into exciting and fresh spaces."

With Raj and DK now in Netflix's ambit, what happens to The Family Man Season 3? At the end of the second season, it was revealed that the next season would involve the Covid-19 pandemic and China's attack on India's North-eastern states.

In a recent interview, the leading man of the series Manoj Bajpai, who plays the role of Srikant Tiwari, was quoted as saying: "It’s up to Amazon Prime to decide when they will start talking about the third season. I don’t know when my manager will be called for the dates. But it will happen."

So the shooting hasn't started yet. At best the series can start streaming in 2023. But with Guns & Gulaabs and the Netflix contract vying for their attention, how much the duo can focus on the series, which has provided them both name and fame, is open to debate.

Balakumar K
Senior Editor

Over three decades as a journalist covering current affairs, politics, sports and now technology. Former Editor of News Today, writer of humour columns across publications and a hardcore cricket and cinema enthusiast. He writes about technology trends and suggest movies and shows to watch on OTT platforms.