DocuBay, the streaming platform specializing in documentaries, is pushing boundaries with its latest original film “Bad Toys Inc.,” which explores the burgeoning sexual wellness industry in India.
The documentary, produced by Black Iris, plunges into the world of sex toy sales and custom products in a country often perceived as conservative.
Girish Dwibhashyam, COO of DocuBay, revealed that the idea for the film came from its content team’s research. “We were surprised to see the market size and the widespread social acceptance and new startups which have come up in the segment with custom products,” he told Variety. The company chose Black Iris to produce the film, citing its ability to handle the adult topic with grace and aesthetic sensibility.
Richa Sahai, director-producer at Black Iris, said, “Gender and sexuality has always been of interest because you get to go right under the skin and get the deepest insight into what people feel about themselves.” Sahai emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance in the film’s tone, aiming to be “provocative, fun and real” without crossing into vulgarity.
The documentary uncovered several surprising facts during the research phase. “We didn’t know the ‘Kama Sutra’ talked about dildos,” Sahai said, highlighting the long history of sex toys in Indian culture.
Other discoveries included sales surges during certain festivals and regional preferences for specific products. For example, Punjab leads the country in purchasing arousing gels and oils. Uttar Pradesh is big on penis pumps and enlargement pills. Assam sees the most demand for BDSM products. Mumbai is the biggest market for fetish goods. Bengaluru leads for anal sex toys. And West Bengal has the highest sale of edible panties.
Dwibhashyam addressed the misconception that sexuality is a complete taboo in India. “After all, this is a country which has produced and celebrated classic literature on sex like ‘Kama Sutra’ in 2nd Century CE, way before it was colonized,” he said. He added that Bollywood has gradually showcased sexuality in subtle ways over the years, with social media further amplifying the conversation.
When asked about the commercial failure of mainstream Bollywood films tackling similar subjects, both Dwibhashyam and Sahai emphasized that the format is not the determining factor for success. Dwibhashyam suggested that audiences are open to most content “as long as they feel the content respects their intellect and sensibility.” Sahai added that both documentaries and fiction features could work if they remain true to their intent and handle sensitive themes authentically.
DocuBay has already released another original film on polyamorous relationships in India called “Going Poly,” and has a documentary on the streaming business of Indian erotica in production. Dwibhashyam said, “Other global streamers usually shy away from these topics — we don’t. That’s one reason why DocuBay is different.”
Black Iris is leaning the same way. The success of “Bad Toys Inc.” has inspired the producer to consider further exploration of Indian sexuality in future documentaries. “What we uncovered with this one has been an eye opener… so yes, we want more!” Sahai said.
Regarding the current state of sexual discourse in India, Sahai said, “It’s not a mainstream topic yet, but that’s changing slowly. You do find people who really want to talk about it and are happy to be nudged into expressing what they actually feel about pleasure.”
Source Agencies
