Dubai-based Different Productions said its new Netflix reality series “Desi Bling” reached the streaming platform’s top position in both the United Arab Emirates and India within 48 hours of launch, underscoring the growing international reach of Gulf-produced entertainment content.
The series, which streams globally on Netflix, has also entered the platform’s Top 10 rankings in more than 15 countries, according to the Dubai-headquartered studio.
“Desi Bling” follows affluent Indian expatriates living in Dubai and centers on luxury lifestyles, business empires, friendships, rivalries, and personal drama within elite social circles in the emirate.
The production builds on the earlier success of Different Productions’ “Dubai Bling,” one of the region’s most internationally visible reality television exports.
Dubai emerges as a production hub
Industry executives say the rapid performance of “Desi Bling” reflects Dubai’s growing role as a production base for content aimed at international streaming audiences, particularly programming that blends Middle Eastern settings with South Asian popular culture.
The cast combines UAE-based business figures with Indian television personalities, including Danube Group founder Rizwan Sajan, entrepreneur Satish Sanpal, and television actors Karan Kundrra and Tejasswi Prakash.
“A Dubai studio creating a show for Netflix India and landing at #1 in India and the UAE within 48 hours is a first for the region,” said Mazen Laham, founder and chief executive of Different Productions.
“‘Desi Bling’ proves that stories rooted in Dubai’s communities can cross cultures and markets in ways the industry has not seen before,” he added.
Streaming demand boosts regional studios
Streaming platforms have increasingly invested in locally produced Arabic and South Asian-focused programming as competition intensifies for audiences across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia.
Founded in 2014, Different Productions operates offices in Dubai, Beirut, and Abu Dhabi, with planned expansion into Riyadh and Mumbai.
The company has produced titles including “Dubai Bling,” “It’s Ok by Elissa,” and regional editions of “Shark Tank” in Dubai, Lebanon, and Iraq. Its distribution and production partners include Discovery+, STARZPLAY, OSN, Amazon Prime Video, and MBC Group.
