OTT platforms line up extensive original content to grow user base

Four OTT platforms, Disney+ Hotstar, Voot, SonyLIV and ZEE5, have lined up a huge list of original content in 2021 in an attempt to grow their user base and increase time spent by building stickiness. Two of the streaming platforms, Disney+Hotstar and SonyLIV, have live sports content as well as films and web shows on offer.

As per a report by London-based technology research and consulting firm Omdia, the Indian OTT market will see content spends of Rs 4905 crore in 2021. Disney+ Hotstar, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have been leading when it comes to investing money on content. The report states that the three platforms are projected to spend around Rs 2824.9 crore on original content, while the home-grown platforms are expected to incur an expenditure of Rs 2080 crore.

Disney+Hotstar
An exchange4media report states that as per the sales deck of Disney+Hotstar sourced from the industry, the content catalog has four parts. This includes GEC content and movie premieres. The Disney+ catalog comprises Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Hotstar Specials. The OTT platform has also launched Quix, which offers original, short-form content. Some of the titles are Mukesh Jasoos, Bamini and Boys, Murder Meri Jaan, Teen Do Paanch, Six, Shit, Yaar! and Bhopal to Vegas. From thrillers to romance, the content is varied.

The Hotstar Specials line-up includes India’s first ever digital magnum opus The Empire. There are 21 shows and documentaries too. Apart from this, the line-up also includes hugely-popular shows such as Comedy Stars Malayalam, Star Singer, Ranna Banna, Super Singer Bangla, MasterChef Australia (Hindi, Tamil and Telugu), Bigg Boss Telugu, Super Jodi Kannada, Start Music Malayalam, Bigg Boss Malayalam, Super Star Paribar, Comedy Bimedy, Bigg Boss Tamil.

Disney+ Hotstar EVP & CMO Sidharth Shakdher recently told exchange4media that the platform has curated an entertainment line-up that’s bigger and better than ever. He added that a lot of people also come to the platform to watch IPL/live sports.

As per information provided in the sales deck, Disney+ Hotstar’s GEC viewership grew 25% after the IPL 2020 in September-October. The drama genre and Hindi language are the biggest draw for AVOD users and VIP subscribers. The report states that 67% of Hindi GEC viewers come daily to watch shows on Hotstar. Shows of regional GECs and free movies have 35+ million viewers each.

The platform also claimed that reality shows like MasterChef Australia, Dance+, and Bigg Boss (Tamil & Telugu) continue to grow with 20% viewers coming to Disney+ Hotstar for these.

SonyLIV
There are 18 original shows and feature films that will be streamed in the coming months. Not just the Hindi markets, SonyLIV is also focusing on attracting more and more viewers from the South. Some of the shows include Chutzpah, Potluck, Chalo Koi Baat Nahi, Rocket Boys, Scam 2, Cancer Bitch (tentative title), Faadu, Garmi, Whistle Blower – Truth Behind the Lies, Kathmandu Connection 2, Avrodh 2, Undekhi 2 and Maharani 2.

Ashish Golwalkar, Head, Content, SET and Digital Business, told the publication that the platform has launched 17 originals and streamed six movies after revamping in June last year.

Not just the South, SonyLIV is looking to build a base in international markets as well. The platform is now available in countries including the UK, US, MENA, Asia Pacific, Europe among others. The platform has also expanded its base in nations like Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, SAARC, APAC, MENA, EUROPE & North America.

The sports content consists of Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, India tour of Sri Lanka– 3 ODIs 3 T20is, India Tour of England, and Australian Open 2022.

Zee5
The platform plans to release 40+ Originals and 50+ theatricals in financial year 2022. Some of the shows include Laugh OK Please, Tamil adventure reality show Survivor, SaReGaMaPa L’il Champs (Marathi, Kannada and Malayalam), and Dance Bangla Dance. Other shows include Safari India, Ghar Sa Yummy 2, Game On 2, Deep Jale, Laal Ishq 2.0 and State of Siege: Temple Attack.

“With hit content like Radhe, Friends Reunion and Dhoop Ki Deewar, FY22 has been great so far. There are a bunch of interesting films and shows that will premiere in the coming months. For instance, there’s SOS: Temple Attack which marks Akshaye Khanna’s digital debut, 14 Phere with Vikrant Massey and Kriti Kharbanda and Pavitra Rishta coming back”, ZEE5 Head – Hindi Originals Nimisha Pandey told exchange4media.

Currently, ZEE5 reportedly has over 2 lakh+ hours of content spanning catch-up TV, 150+ original shows spread across 12 Indian languages, web series, movies (Original and theatricals), TVF shows, Live TV, Alt Balaji shows, Ad-free Catch-up TV, Zindagi TV shows, kids’ content and more.

Voot
Owned by Viacom18, Voot has four content buckets – network content (more than 12,000 hours of new content every year), Voot Exclusives (50,000+ content clips created), Voot Originals (17+ series), and News (16+ live feeds in 13 languages).

As per the sales deck, the content this year boasts shows like Dance Deewane, The Big Picture, Khatron Ke Khiladi, Bigg Boss, Bharat Got Talent, and Khatra Khatra Khatra on GEC. The MTV content calendar includes Splitsvilla, Supermodel of the year 2, Hussle 2, and Roadies Revolution.

The Voot Originals line-up includes NRI Haadsa, Spotlight S1, Sansanikhez Kahaniya, Khwabon Ke Parindey, and Feet Up With The Stars S3. The regional content line-up has Bigg Boss Kannada 8, Bigg Boss Bangla 3, and Sur Nava Dhyas Nava 4 (Marathi), among others. Quint