Is Netflix creating a new Diwali movie tradition?

For decades, Diwali has been a lucrative release window for Bollywood blockbusters. But surprisingly, Indian cinema has never quite developed a tradition of Diwali-themed movies comparable to the Christmas films that have become annual favourites in the West.

Netflix may be changing that.

This festive season, the streaming giant has released two family dramas centred on Diwali celebrations: Meethe Mein Kya Hai and Dilwali Diwali. They follow last year’s Greater Kalesh, suggesting the beginnings of a new genre of Indian festive entertainment.

In Meethe Mein Kya Hai, starring Ritwik Bhowmik, Rohini Hattangadi and Ayesha Raza, a family gathers at their grandmother’s home in Lucknow for Diwali. What should be a joyous reunion becomes an emotional journey involving grief, an unexpected marriage and unresolved family tensions.

Dilwali Diwali, featuring Mihir Ahuja, Manoj Pahwa and Neelu Kohli, explores a particularly familiar dilemma for diaspora families. A young man returns from overseas, having purchased a luxurious apartment for his Panjabi parents, only to discover that their emotional attachment to their old home matters more than material comforts.

Both films place family relationships, rather than spectacular celebrations, at the heart of Diwali.

The trend arguably began with Greater Kalesh in October 2025. The 52-minute family drama, about a homecoming that exposes buried secrets, reached Netflix’s global Top 10 non-English films during its debut week.

Interestingly, Netflix is also experimenting with shorter films. At just 61 minutes, Dilwali Diwali offers a complete family story without demanding the commitment of a conventional Bollywood feature.

There is a compelling commercial proposition here. Christmas films such as Home Alone and Love Actually have become seasonal viewing rituals, returning to television screens and streaming platforms year after year.

Why shouldn’t Diwali have its own equivalent?

For Indian and Panjabi families across Malaysia, Singapore and the wider diaspora, stories about homecomings, generational expectations and family reconciliation carry particular resonance.

Netflix has not announced a formal annual Diwali film programme. Nevertheless, its emerging pattern suggests an opportunity to transform the festival from merely a film-release occasion into a storytelling tradition.

Perhaps future Diwali celebrations will include another ritual: gathering around the television for a favourite festive movie.

And that may be a tradition worth lighting up.