It’s honestly kind of crazy how things turned out on Netflix this year. If you told me a few months ago that Emraan Hashmi would be the one to break the internet (globally, not just in India), I would’ve probably just thought it was another one of his "serial kisser" memes. But no, his new show Taskaree: The Smuggler's Web has actually gone and done it.
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| (Photo Credit: netflix_in) How Emraan Hashmi Beat Aryan Khan in Netflix Global Views |
The biggest shocker isn't just that it’s good, but that it completely outperformed Aryan Khan’s big debut, The Bads of Bollywood*** (which everyone was hyping up for like two years).
The "Taskaree" Global Takeover
Released on January 14, 2026, Neeraj Pandey’s Taskaree has literally made history. It became the first Indian series ever to debut at #1 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV list.
In its first week alone (Jan 12–18), it racked up about 5.4 million views. It didn't just beat other Indian shows; it actually outpaced some huge international titles:
Can This Love Be Translated? (Korean rom-com) – 4 million views
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 (Anime) – 2.8 million views
Alpha Males – 2.6 million views
It’s currently trending in the Top 10 in like 23 countries, which is nuts for a show about Indian customs officers. Emraan plays this Superintendent named Arjun Meena, and he’s totally ditched his "bad boy" image for this gritty, procedural role. Honestly, he’s never looked better—it’s very Special OPS meets Sacred Games.
Ba***ds of Bollywood: The Hype vs. Reality
Now, don’t get me wrong, Aryan Khan’s show did well—it was #1 in India for a while when it dropped back in September 2025. It had all the "nepo baby" cameos you could dream of (Shah Rukh, Salman, Ranbir, everyone).
But while Ba*ds of Bollywood was a hit locally and among the "filmy" crowd for its satire, it didn't really translate to that massive global scale the way Taskaree has. Taskaree feels more like a "universal" thriller, whereas Aryan’s show was maybe a bit too "inside baseball" for people outside of India to fully get all the jokes.
Why "Taskaree" Won (Quick Compare)
| Feature | Taskaree (Emraan Hashmi) | Ba***ds of Bollywood (Aryan Khan) |
|---|---|---|
| Global Rank | #1 (Non-English) | Top 10 (India focus) |
| Views | 5.4 Million (Opening Week) | Very high, but more local |
| Genre | Gritty Crime / Customs Procedural | Meta-Satire / Dark Comedy |
| Vibe | "Serious actor" Emraan | "Stylised debut" Aryan |
It’s just funny because everyone thought 2026 would be all about the "new generation," but Emraan Hashmi just came in and showed everyone how it’s done. Even Neeraj Pandey seemed surprised by how well the "airport customs" angle worked. I guess everyone secretly loves a good smuggling story?
Also, I think I saw a tweet saying someone bought a Netflix subscription for the first time just to watch Emraan. That’s some old-school 2000s era fan love right there.
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