A large proportion of Indian population is young and English speaking and prefer to go for the western shows . Indians have a kind of lure for west. Back in the 90s when the Indian economy opened up, Indians discovered a new found freedom. Economic liberalism changed India. Soft drinks begin to enter, private entertainment channels were launched.
Therefore, 90s was the decade India rediscovered herself. Anything western was a big hit here. So, what was considered trash content in west was gold in India, eg – Small Wonder was quite popular with the millennials. There were channels like Cartoon Network, ask any kid and his favorite past time was watching Tom and jerry, power puff girls, etc. Disney entered India at the same time with its sitcoms such as That’s So Raven, Lizzie Maguire, Hannah Montana, etc.
These sitcoms were a bridge between the east and the west, especially US. Kids were considered cool in school of they watched these shows. In the end came the internet and with it the torrent sites that changed the equation forever. Anyone having a computer and a decent internet connection could download shows without difficulty. Binge watching series became popular among college students. With the launch of OTT platforms like Amazon Prime and Netflix the popularity has only increased. Although, Indian creators are catching up with the west and producing good shows with international standards, it will take some time to be on par. But what makes American sitcoms so popular?
They are realistic and relatable
Characters shown in American sitcoms like FRIENDS , The Big Bang Theory, BB99, How I Met Your Mother etc. are realistic and they seem like everyday normal fellows who are trying to live their “not so perfect lives”. They are relatable. When you watch the sitcom “Friends” and hangout with your own friends circle or relatives, later on, at some point or the other you come across people who remind you of Monica, Rachel, Joey or Chandler. A lot of what was common to the American audience in the 90s is relatable to Indian Audience now. It addresses relatable themes like relationships, carving careers and settling down. The reason why FRIENDS is so popular is that it applies to all kinds of people, even 25 years since it aired.
They know when to stop
American sitcoms are planned season by season comprising of mostly 24–25 episodes in every season. After every season writers/creators have ample time before the next season, which ensures that the quality is not compromised. This is unlike Indian shows which stretch a lot through years and years.
Sticking to their theme
American sitcoms adhere to their original theme whereas Indian shows not so much. Indian shows start with a family in housing society but after few hundred episodes ghosts, aliens etc. will come into play. FRIENDS had a set storyline which wasn’t the case in the beginning but got directed towards it as the show went on. A better example of this would be How I Met Your Mother where the creators already had in mind the plot and the ending of the story was clear before they even began shooting.
English
English is a global language. There are many people who watch American sitcoms so that they can learn how to communicate through it as well as entertain themselves. Also, In India , more than 100 million people speaks English (and growing exponentially) and love watching shows in English.
When Friends: The Reunion Reunion released this year, people loved it and it was evident that they shared a bond with each its character . Similarly, Indian audience is eagerly waiting for HIMYM and The Office reunion.