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In a bid to expand its viewership data transparency, <keyword id="19897536" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix" source="keywords">Netflix</keyword> released its first biennial report covering six months of streaming habits on the platform late last year. Now, the second edition, titled "What We Watched: A <keyword id="19811142" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="netflix-engagement-report" source="Orion">Netflix Engagement Report</keyword>," offers valuable insights into global streaming habits from July to December 2023. And it sheds light on the content resonating most with viewers in India, a crucial market for the streaming giant. The report unveils a significant surge in viewership for Indian series and films, accumulating over 1 billion views in 2023. Leading the pack is Sujoy Ghosh's suspenseful thriller <keyword id="20075862" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jaane-Jaan" source="keywords">Jaane Jaan</keyword>, captivating audiences with 20.2 million views and securing the 83rd position on the global Top 400 list. In case you missed it, this multi-starrer mystery/thriller has <keyword id="19901583" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kareena-Kapoor" source="keywords">Kareena Kapoor</keyword> Khan, <keyword id="1109461" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jaideep-Ahlawat" source="Orion">Jaideep Ahlawat</keyword> and <keyword id="196455" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vijay-varma" source="Orion">Vijay Varma</keyword> playing a single mother, a maths teacher and a cop, respectively. When single mother Maya D’Souza is caught in a crime investigation, her neighbour Naren Vyas, a gifted maths teacher, offers to help. But as Inspector Karan digs into the case, he manages to catch up to them. Jaane Jaan is an adaptation of the 2005 Japanese novel The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino. While critics and the audience did complain about the somewhat patchy writing and rather disappointing ending, the characters do justice to the plot and the movie does make for an enjoyable watch. Ahlawat, in particular, stands out with his impeccable performance. And Kareena, with her days of “overacting” behind her, does justice to her role, too. Following Jaane Jaan is Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's action-packed Jawan, directed by Atlee, with 16.2 million views. Beyond these top contenders, the report highlights the continued popularity of diverse Indian content genres. Viewers enjoyed comedic offerings like OMG 2 and Lust Stories 2, while the true-crime documentary Curry &amp; Cyanide boasts 8.2 million views. The report also explores the performance of web series within the Indian market. <keyword id="19987742" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Yash-Raj-Films" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Yash Raj Films" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Yash Raj Films">Yash Raj Films</keyword>' debut series, The Railway Men, captured viewers' attention, securing the top spot with 10.6 million views. Kohraa emerged as the second most-watched Indian web show, garnering 6.4 million views. While Indian content dominated viewership in the region, the report acknowledges the enduring appeal of international shows and movies. Most notably, Julia Roberts-Ethan Hawke starrer Leave the World Behind generated 121 million views in just over three weeks after premiering December 8, 2023. The first three parts of the captivating French series Lupin amassed nearly 100 million views in the latter half of 2023, demonstrating the global reach of captivating storytelling. And One Piece, with nearly 72 million views, more than doubled viewing across Netflix’s anime film and series.

Netflix released its list of most viewed Indian content and Kareena Kapoor’s Jaane Jaan was the most-watched film

Mumbai, <keyword id="5279221" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ajey-nagar">Ajey Nagar</keyword>, who is popular as CarryMinati on YouTube, will enter Bollywood with a role in the Amitabh Bachchan-Ajay Devgn starrer, <keyword id="660194" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mayday">MayDay</keyword>. He will play a social media sensation. "I am absolutely thrilled and honoured to be aligning creative forces with such reputed personalities from the film fraternity. I'm eagerly looking forward to being a part of this brand-new adventure and learning a thing or two about acting while I'm at it," CarryMinati said. "In the past I've got offered film roles but I agreed to be a part of this project because I had the opportunity to play myself and bring my alias, <keyword id="9220678" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Carry-Minati">Carry Minati</keyword> alive on the 70 mm screen. I remember enacting these skits as a child and my parents always thought I'd grow up to be an actor. You see acting is something that comes to me naturally just like music so it's no rocket science for me really," he added. CarryMinati has a message for his fans. "For all my anxious fans out there, I'm just exploring and experimenting within the creative gamut, but content creation will always be my passion and true calling," he shared. The film is directed and produced by Ajay, and the film marks his return on screen with Big B after Major Sahab, Khakee, Satyagraha and Hindustan Ki Kasam. The new film, which belongs to the <keyword id="10455955" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="drama-genre">drama genre</keyword>, sees the two stars collaborate after over seven years. Their last outing together, Satyagraha, released in August 2013. Unconfirmed sources have said that Ajay plays a pilot in the film. Rakul Preet will be seen as a co-pilot in the film, billed as an edge-of-the-seat drama. Details about Big B's character is under wraps. The film also stars Rakul Preet Singh, Angira Dhar and Aakanksha Singh in pivotal roles. The movie went on the floors earlier this month. CarryMinati will join the cast and crew later next week. The film is slated to release on April 29, 2022. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/heres-what-analysts-say-if-you-should-subscribe-or-not-to-the-300-crore-ipo-of-antony-waste-handling-cell/articleshow/79790998.cms">Antony Waste Handling Cell ₹300-crore IPO will open on Monday— these are the risks and opportunities</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ikea-india-cfo-says-she-still-has-3500-crore-to-be-spent-in-india-the-pandemic-has-changed-targets-but-not-the-investment-plan/articleshow/79790938.cms">INTERVIEW: Ikea CFO says she still has ₹3,500 crore to be spent in India⁠— the pandemic has changed targets but not the investment plan</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/india-will-produce-300-million-doses-of-the-russian-sputnik-v-covid-19-vaccine-next-year/articleshow/79795341.cms">India will produce 300 million doses of the Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine next year</a>

YouTube star Carry Minati will make his Bollywood debut alongside Amitabh Bacchhan and Ajay Devgn in 'MayDay'

<ul><li><keyword id="10942584" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="colors-cineplex-bollywood">COLORS Cineplex Bollywood</keyword> is a 24 hours Hindi movie channel.</li><li>The channel to go live on April 01, 2021.</li></ul><keyword id="187712" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viacom18">Viacom18</keyword> is all set to make an exciting new addition to its existing bouquet of channels with the launch of <keyword id="7363696" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Colors-Cineplex">COLORS Cineplex</keyword> Bollywood. The channel will launch with a robust library of Bollywood hits on April 01, 2021 across leading platforms. Targeted towards the Metro audience of Mumbai and Delhi as well as Hindi Speaking Markets of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, COLORS Cineplex Bollywood aims to entertain and engage Bollywood movie buffs with a slew of titles spanning across different genres. In line with its brand proposition of ‘Hit Hai!’, the channel will showcase commercial potboilers of the 80’s such as Amar Akbar Anthony, Kaalia, Namak Halaal, to the 90’s hit movies like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Raja Hindustani, Jeet, Dil, Kachche Dhaage to millennial favourites like Golmaal, Dabangg, Hera Pheri franchise as well as latest blockbusters like Chhalaang, Padmavaat, Student of the Year 2, Andhadhun thus catering to viewers of all ages. With its diverse offering, COLORS Cineplex Bollywood will acknowledge the purest form of cinema which stands for wholesome entertainment. Speaking on expanding the Network’s Hindi Mass Entertainment Cluster, <keyword id="321502" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nina-Elavia-Jaipuria">Nina Elavia Jaipuria</keyword>, Head Hindi Mass Entertainment and Kids TV Network, Viacom18 says, “The launch of COLORS Cineplex Bollywood will bolster Viacom18’s play in the Hindi Mass entertainment category and strengthen our share in the Hindi movie genre specifically. Aimed at appealing to the masses, the channel is a natural extension of our current Hindi movie portfolio. We are excited about this launch and look forward to becoming the ultimate destination for the best of Bollywood on television.” Speaking on the channel’s proposition, Rohan Lavsi, Head, Hindi Movies Cluster, Viacom18, adds, “The charm of Bollywood movies lies in the unparalleled blend of intense drama, powerful action and soulful music delivered on a grand scale. COLORS Cineplex Bollywood encapsulates wholesome entertainment defining the ultimate movie viewing experience for our viewers. With a robust library spanning decades, the channel has something for everyone. With a brand proposition ‘Hit Hai!’, COLORS Cineplex Bollywood will celebrate the iconic dialogues, unforgivable villains, energetic dancers, superstars and much-loved characters that have not only made an important contribution to Indian cinema but have also become an integral part of our daily lives. We are sure the channel will go on to become an instant hit amongst viewers of all ages.” With the launch of COLORS Cineplex Bollywood, Viacom18 will further expand its movie portfolio with an aim to gain significant presence in the Hindi movie space. With the telecast of only Hindi movies, the channel will fulfil the insatiable appetite for Bollywood movies. COLORS Cineplex Bollywood will launch on 1st April 2021 across all leading DTH &amp; Cable platforms including DD FreeDish. The launch will also be accompanied by a robust marketing plan.

Viacom18 expands its Hindi Movies cluster with COLORS Cineplex Bollywood

<ul><li>After the success of Fabulous Lives of <keyword id="411379" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="bollywood-wives" source="Orion">Bollywood Wives</keyword> on <keyword id="128682" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword>, Disney+Hotstar released <keyword id="15483787" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="moving-in-with-malaika" source="Orion">Moving in with Malaika</keyword> on the life of actor and model, <keyword id="2060" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="malaika" source="Orion">Malaika</keyword> Arora. </li><li>Masaba Masaba, one of Netflix India’s top originals, is also a fictionalized account of the lives of designer Masaba Gupta and her mother, actor Neena Gupta. </li><li>Lock Upp, hosted by actor Kangana Ranaut, garnered 15 million views in 48 hours. </li></ul>Almost 15 years after Keeping up with the Kardashians made its debut, and after the Real Housewives franchise made it to every top American city — Indians are being treated to something similar. Months after the second season of The Fabulous Lives of <keyword id="143" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bollywood" source="Orion">Bollywood</keyword> Wives debuted on Netflix, Moving in With Malaika has started trending too on Disney+Hotstar — showing that the Kardashian culture is slowly but surely being taken in. Moving in With Malaika is highly discussed on social media with good reviews as well as bad ones — showing that it’s caught the audience’s attention. <div type="twitter" handle="Sharanyashettyy" handlename="Maya" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1601596412239958016/QHsU1_-7_normal.jpg" favoritecount="60" retweetcount="3" status="There are bad shows, terrible shows, and then there's Moving in with Malaika, which should never have been made and… https://t.co/cX9TjC4EPK" createdat="1671618739000" id="1605511477678419970"></div> <div type="twitter" handle="geetsharma_99" handlename="Geet Sharma 💕" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1402622258405855236/IKs3x06v_normal.jpg" favoritecount="12" retweetcount="2" status="Moving in with Malaika is the perfect mix of drama, fun, adventure, basically everything us Indian love ✨" createdat="1671981045000" id="1607031098504249345"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="An insider’s view" comment="subhead2" text="An insider’s view">An insider’s view</cmsannotation> Indians who have been enjoying the inside news and gossip on Koffee with Karan, which is in its seventh season — were treated to an even deeper dive into celeb lives with Dharmatic Productions’ Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives on Netflix. Netflix also came out with Smriti Mundhra’s Indian Matchmaking with Sima Taparia and BBC’s What the Love! with Karan Johar. Both these shows found their way to memes, more than audience hearts. Netflix got third time lucky after the show on four wives in the Bollywood circuit who Karan Johar is friends with, along with Shah Rukh Khan’s wife and entrepreneur Gauri Khan – found success. The show focuses on the lives of jewellery designer Maheep Kapoor (wife of actor Sanjay Kapoor); actor Neelam Kothari (wife of actor Samir Soni); entrepreneur Bhavana Pandey (wife of actor Chunky Panday); and fashion designer Seema Sajdeh (ex-wife of actor Sohail Khan). Season 2 of Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives was ranked in the <a href="https://top10.netflix.com/india/tv">Top 10 TV shows </a>on Netflix for one week or more across seven countries. Moving in with Malaika features only one titular character, and is produced by Banijay Asia — but is on similar lines as Fabulous Lives. So much so, Seema Sajdeh was one of the many celebrities (almost every episode had one) featured on the show. It’s also important to mention that Malaika Arora was also a part of Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives – and her show has taken the clique ahead. Though the viewership of Moving in with Malaika is not yet available, 1,350 users of the movie and video database IMDb have given the show an <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt24132346/ratings/?ref_=tt_ov_rt">average rating of 6.5/10</a>. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The surreal lives of real housewives" comment="subhead2" text="The surreal lives of real housewives">The surreal lives of real housewives</cmsannotation> This formula of celeb lives was tried and tested long back with a 2012 show <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8269480/">Khan Sisters </a>on bindass on the lives of actors and sisters Gauhar and Nigar Khan. Released long before the era of OTTs and connected TVs, the show failed to strike a chord with the audience, drowning in the vast jungle that is the Indian TV universe. This time, however, on the right platform, Kardarshian-like shows are taking off with the Indian audience. The Indian shows – Bollywood Wives and Moving in with Malaika are so similar to the American versions that one of the stars mouthed similar dialogues too. Actor Ananya Panday, daughter of Bhavana Pandey, made a brief appearance in Season 1 of Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives and said a dialogue that seemed to be straight out of Khloe Kardashian’s mouth. “When I was young, I thought my name was ‘f*ck’ because my mom said it so much,” said Ananya Panday. “My mom cursed so much when we were little, I thought my name was ‘f*ck,’’ Khloe Kardashian <a href="https://twitter.com/xmanishaa/status/1333326528013344770?s=20&amp;t=Zc_DUEZanoCPiFpeFUvdtw">had said, first</a>. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="India’s history of reality TV" comment="subhead2" text="India’s history of reality TV">India’s history of reality TV</cmsannotation> There have been more such experiments that the OTT audience seems to be lapping up. Netflix’s Masaba Masaba–a dramatized and fictionalized account of designer Masaba Gupta’s life–is a hit with the audience. Season 1 of the show was in the top ten TV shows on Netflix in two countries, and Season 2 was in the top ten in five countries. Starring the designer herself, along with her mother, actor Neena Gupta, the show has emerged as a ‘comfort watch’ for people, raking in praises, and a fair share of nominations - even if no awards. Netflix also experimented in this genre (dramatized stories of real celebrities) with the film AK vs AK, starring Anurag Kashyap and Anil Kapoor. While it didn’t garner the popularity of OTT hits like Mirzapur or Delhi Crime, it did leave a mark on critics and cinephiles alike. These shows are another dimension of reality shows which have always been popular with Indians – on TV and OTT alike. Of course, there are also shows like Lock Upp and Bigg Boss which force different celebrities into close encounters and supposedly uncomfortable situations. Lock Upp, hosted by actor Kangana Ranaut, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/kangana-ranaut-on-lock-upp-garnering-15-m-views-in-48-hours-of-launch-i-am-overwhelmed-with-the-response-the-show-has-received/articleshow/89943915.cms">garnered </a>15 million views in 48 hours. Shows which look like reality caught on camera, have created a set of audiences. It remains to be seen how many seasons they sustain the interest of audiences. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/dhaniya-diapers-and-tomatoes-among-the-top-picks-for-indians-on-grocery-apps-in-2022/articleshow/96622334.cms">Dhaniya, diapers and tomatoes among the top picks for Indians on grocery apps in 2022</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/december-auto-sales-could-skid-sequentially-on-production-constraints-purchase-deferrals-due-to-inauspicious-period/articleshow/96617021.cms">December auto sales could skid sequentially on production constraints, purchase deferrals due to ‘inauspicious’ period</a>

Keeping up with Indian celebrities: Moving in with Malaika trends after Bollywood Wives

The <keyword id="37814" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ramsay-Brothers">Ramsay Brothers</keyword> who revolutionised the horror genre for the Indian cinema with their low-budget movies in the 1970s and 80s, are getting a biopic on their life with Bollywood star Ajay Devgn attached as producer. Devgn and Priti Sinha have acquired the rights of the journey of the seven brothers and would be producing the project together. Titled "The Ramsay Biopic", it is written by Ritesh Shah. The Ramsay Brothers rose to fame with cult films like "Purani Haveli", "<keyword id="7126065" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Do-Gaz-Zameen-Ke-Neeche">Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche</keyword>", "Veerana" and "<keyword id="2020099" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bandh-Darwaza">Bandh Darwaza</keyword>". These films were widely popular for their unique mix of horror and erotica. "The late <keyword id="5672640" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tulsi-Ramsay">Tulsi Ramsay</keyword> and <keyword id="2077077" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shyam-Ramsay">Shyam Ramsay</keyword> along with every member of the Ramsay family instilled their faith in us by giving us their biopic rights. "Ajay and I are honoured and excited to depict the fascinating journey of passion, hardships and immense success of three generations of the Ramsay family who successfully set up the horror empire in India," Sinha said in a statement.

Ajay Devgn to make a biopic on Ramsay Brothers who reigned the 80s horror movie genre

<ul><li>Veteran star <keyword id="14505" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="zeenat-aman" source="Orion">Zeenat Aman</keyword> made her <keyword id="819905" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="instagram" source="Orion">Instagram</keyword> debut at 71 and amassed over 1.3 lakh followers in just a month. She will soon make her web series debut.</li><li><keyword id="1813" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="neena-gupta" source="Orion">Neena Gupta</keyword>’s appeal for work on Instagram heralded a change in the way the industry looked at veteran actresses.</li><li>OTT platforms have not only revived careers of veteran stars, it has also brought to centre stage actresses long-sidelined by mainstream media.</li></ul>Gauri Shinde’s English Vinglish that released in 2012, was considered a sleeper hit despite starring one of Indian cinema’s original female superstars, Sridevi. It took the industry by surprise because <keyword id="143" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="bollywood" source="Orion">Bollywood</keyword> rarely backs female-led movies and even when it does, these movies – especially those starring veterans, aren’t expected to become commercial potboilers. However, the advent of over-the-top (OTT) streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney plus Hotstar etc, and the rise of social media has changed the scenario. In some cases, actresses of a certain vintage have begun to take centre stage – with some even landing hits far more popular than the ones delivered by mainstream heroes. In February 2023, the 70s heart-throb Zeenat Aman, 71, made her debut on Instagram. Within a month, she has <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thezeenataman/">amassed </a>1.37 lakh followers and won over the audience with her articulate, unabashed and honest views — a far cry from the carefully-curated celebrity updates people are accustomed to. “The roles available to women are clearly not just ornamental anymore. What hasn’t changed though is the gender pay gap. In my time I was lauded as the highest paid female actor, but the disparity in the pay cheque between my male co-stars and myself was so vast it was laughable…it disappoints me that even today women in the film industry don’t have wage parity,” <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CpFl3XoA8Un/">remarked </a>Aman in one of her many posts on the platform. Aman, who’ll soon make her <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/zeenat-aman-to-make-her-ott-debut-soon-already-has-two-web-series-in-her-kitty/articleshow/92560748.cms">web series debut</a> with <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/web-series/zeenat-aman-to-make-ott-debut-with-the-series-showsttopper-101677773391183.html">Showsttopper</a>, co-starring Shweta Tiwari, Rohit Roy and others, also walked the ramp for Shahin Mannan’s fashion show at the Lakme Fashion week. She’s the latest in a long list of veteran actresses who’ve taken to new-age entertainment platforms and social media channels like fish to water, and have managed to shatter the long-held Bollywood concept of ‘limited shelf life’ for female actors. But, it’s certainly not a new phenomenon. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The Bollywood stars who went to reality shows" comment="subhead" text="The Bollywood stars who went to reality shows">The Bollywood stars who went to reality shows</cmsannotation> There’s always been a clear divide between a TV and movie star in India, with television often seen as a stepping stone to movies — but only for a few. Most stars who start with TV shows, however, continue to remain there. However, when some of the stars from the 90s and early 2000s first made their comeback, it was as judges of reality shows on TV or in some cases, as contestants. For instance, Shilpa Shetty famously participated in Big Brother —- the British version of Bigg Boss, which catapulted her back to stardom. A few even took to TV shows, like Sonali Bendre in Ajeeb Daastaan Hai Ye (2014). Although superstars like Madhuri Dixit have managed to reinvent their careers and regularly land exciting roles, that wasn’t the case for many other veteran actresses. Until actor Neena Gupta decided to ask for work on social media, heralding a change in the way Bollywood views older stars. In 2017, Neena Gupta, the star of indie cinema in the 1980s, openly asked for work — a move that left a majority of the population within the industry, and even outside of it, surprised. After all, this is an industry where actors out of work for years still spout the excuse, “looking for the right script.” “I live in Mumbai and working, am a good actor looking for good parts to play,” wrote Gupta on Instagram. The result of Gupta’s request – since 2017, she’s starred in over 10 different movies and web series, including blockbuster hits like Badhaai Ho and crowd favourites like Panchayat. Her Badhaai Ho co-star, the late Surekha Sikri also won her third National Film Award for the film. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The other comeback: Sidelined by mainstream media but stars on OTT" comment="subhead" text="The other comeback: Sidelined by mainstream media but stars on OTT">The other comeback: Sidelined by mainstream media but stars on OTT</cmsannotation> The advent of OTT streaming has not only shone the spotlight on veteran stars but has also given actors sidelined by mainstream media a chance to showcase their acting prowess. Like actor <keyword id="18676" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shefali-shah" source="Orion">Shefali Shah</keyword>. Sidelined by mainstream cinema for years, 49-year-old Shah’s gritty performance in Netflix’s International Emmy-winner Delhi Crime was the perfect response to that mistreatment. Since then, she’s been on a roll, delivering hits across genres — romantic dramas like Netflix’s Once Again, thrillers like Prime Video’s Jalsa and Disney+Hostar’s Human or dark comedies, like Darlings (on Netflix). In fact, OTT brought back many millennials’ childhood divas, be it former Miss <keyword id="326110" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="universe-sushmita-sen" source="Orion">Universe Sushmita Sen</keyword> or the ‘tip tip’ girl, Raveena Tandon. And they didn’t return to play stereotypical mothers to actors who were as old or even younger than themselves — as Shefali Shah did for Akshay Kumar in the film Waqt: The Race Against Time. Shah is six years younger than Kumar. Rather they starred as protagonists in shows with gripping storylines that gave them a chance to flex their long-dormant acting muscles. The result — Sen’s mom-turned-mobster avatar in Aarya and Tandon’s small-town cop in Aranyak and the antagonist in KGF2. As Sen shared <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch">in an interview </a>with film critic Anupama Chopra for Film Companion, “What I like about Bollywood now is suddenly, content is king. It’s incredible how liberal the language of cinema is becoming. It’s allowing people to explore all different aspects — writing, execution, direction, actors getting that opportunity to go beyond the boy-meets-girl phase. It’s wonderful.” Long story short, the stars have finally aligned for Bollywood’s veteran and long-sidelined powerful actresses. And it’s a well-deserved comeback indeed! SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/how-is-gpt-4-different-from-chatgpt-and-what-makes-it-unique/articleshow/98688465.cms">How is GPT-4 different from ChatGPT, and what makes it unique?</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/googles-new-ai-features-for-docs-gmail-and-more-to-rival-microsofts-workspace-toolsheres-what-it-means/articleshow/98657324.cms">Google’s new AI features for Docs, Gmail, and more to rival Microsoft’s workspace tools—here’s what it means</a>

How stars like Neena Gupta, Zeenat Aman & Shefali Shah finally found their place in the sun via OTT

<ul><li><keyword id="148198" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="zee-cafe">Zee Cafe</keyword> has recently completed 20 years.</li><li>We caught up with <keyword id="8227950" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kartik-Mahadev">Kartik Mahadev</keyword>, Business Head, Premium Channels, ZEE to talk about the channel’s journey in India, some key milestones and how it has succeeded in staying relevant at a time when a lot of <keyword id="659577" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="TV-viewership">TV viewership</keyword> is slowly gravitating towards OTT platforms. </li></ul> Much before OTT platforms brought content from across the globe to our drawing rooms, English GECs like Zee Café played a pivotal role in introducing us to some of the best global content. Over the years, the channel has kept viewers glued to their screens with shows like Seinfeld, Friends, The Sopranos, Mad About You, among many others. Recently, the channel completed 20 years and we caught up with Kartik Mahadev, Business Head, Premium Channels, ZEE to talk about the channel’s journey in India, some key milestones and how it has succeeded in staying relevant at a time when a lot of TV viewership is slowly gravitating towards OTT platforms. Edited excerpts: Q) Tell us a bit about Zee Cafe's 20-Year journey. What have some of the major highlights been? Two decades ago, while the Indian audience was still warming up to international content, Zee bolstered a new era of English programming on television with the launch of what was then called Zee English, later rebranded as Zee Café. Since inception, it has been our sole endeavor to bring the best of English entertainment to the Indian viewer, with iconic shows like Seinfeld, Friends, The Sopranos, Mad About You and Emmy winners - ER and The West Wing. Circa, early 2000s, consumption of English entertainment was still at a nascent stage in India where those who speak, understand and appreciate international content on television formed just a sliver of the pie. Today, this is has grown into a ‘Glocal’ community. Zee Café has played a pivotal role in shaping this genre through compelling content and shaping the aspirations of this community of international content viewers. Zee Café has driven several successful innovations for a delightful viewer experience. Be it through the marquee offering ‘Along With The US’ launched in early 2000s where the latest international shows like The Big Bang Theory, Grey’s Anatomy and Supergirl were aired along with its US release or the introduction of ‘binge-watching’ as a format with ‘House of Cards S3’ and subsequent properties like ‘BBC First’ and ‘Breakfast To Bed Binge’ – Café has always catered to the evolving consumer needs. As consumption appetite for English entertainment evolved, we introduced compelling dramas as part of properties like Hollywood On Café that promised the scale and grandeur of Hollywood on television. The BBC First Dramas on Café added a complex and visceral mix of content with a TV First approach. We also provided variety of content with locally-nuanced content with celebrity chat shows like ‘Look Who’s Talking with Niranjan’ in the past and shows like ‘Not Just Supper Stars’ and ‘Starry Nights’ featuring A-list Bollywood celebrities more recently. Today, our stable subscriber base is an indication of the channel’s strength amongst a loyal set of consumers who choose the channel for its strong legacy of content. Our promising 20-year journey has been one backed by the support of many individuals and studio partners in shaping the English entertainment landscape, with whom we celebrate this milestone. Their contribution has enabled us to truly entertain our audience by creating togetherness moments and sparks conversations around content. Q) A lot of <keyword id="1368992" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="English-GEC">English GEC</keyword> audience has been steadily shifting to OTT platforms over the years. What are you doing to ensure stickiness to your channel? There is no doubt that the digital video platforms are here to stay. However, today we live in an AND world, not an OR world. English entertainment (Movies + GEC) on Television caters to 170 million+ viewers (BARC @ All India 2+ U+R, Week 01'20- Week 29' 20). The lockdown has showed us that the viewers choose to watch television for the curated content experience it provides, to not just individuals but the entire family. Studies reveal that consumption of overlapped content between TV and OTT grew on television from 59% pre-NTO to 82% contribution post-NTO for sitcom, drama, reality genres. It naturally follows that navigation between screens is seamless and consumption on TV and digital is complementary in nature. The surge in TV viewership post lockdown tells us that television is the trusted medium of entertainment. Television provides youth-focused brands and premium brands the opportunity to associate with a premium subscriber base that is defined basis their content choice. This sort of content and platform synergy for brands to associate with, is not available on OTT platforms where English content is behind paywall. While content consumption on OTT is growing, it is the Hindi and regional original content that are the primary drivers of this growth. Television is and will continue to be the destination for brands to build long-term content association with a premium subscriber base through exclusive content on a channel like Zee Café. The locally nuanced shows such as Starry Nights Gen Y, also provides an opportunity to drive branded content integrations in an organic manner. When it comes to OTT, content discovery is and will continue to pose a challenge to viewers looking to unwind with quality content. This is where television channels that understand their consumer and curate well, delight the viewer. Post lockdown, the channel has added 256 hours of content including latest dramas such as ‘Nancy Drew’ and ‘Evil’, iconic sitcoms such as ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ along with the original airings of the celebrity chat show Starry Nights GEN Y. While marquee international shows bring the best of the world to our viewers, locally produced content allows us to add a new dimension from the Indian point of view. In the future, we have a robust line-up of light-hearted and locally nuanced content that help build relevance from an Indian context. Q) While TV viewership saw a boost during the lockdown, how was it for Zee Cafe? The lockdown has showed us that the viewers chose to watch television for the curated content experience it provides, to not just individuals but the entire family. We observed a trend in audience preferences towards familiar, light-hearted content amidst the uncertainty and gloom. We were early to spot the trend and introduced tactical changes in our programming. ‘Nostalgia’ as a genre clearly emerged as a big theme across television with several successful examples in Hindi GEC. Spotting the trend early, we introduced the iconic sitcom of the 90s– Seinfeld along with the 60s sitcom ‘I Dream Of Jeannie’ which resonated with the viewers. Conversational shows and iconic sitcoms along with easy to watch movies have performed well with an increase in time spent on Zee Café. We saw a growth in non-prime time viewing as well and hence to keep viewers entertained through-out the day, we introduced back-to-back episodes of MasterChef Australia S8, Everybody Hates Chris and The Big Bang Theory S12 on Zee Café along with newer dramas like Nancy Drew and Evil. Q) How are you trying to bring advertisers back to the channel? These have been uncertain times across several consumer businesses. During the lockdown period, only essentials were being sold which had an impact on advertiser income. Through the lockdown, TV remained a trusted medium for entertainment and information for the family, witnessing significant growth in viewership. With the relaxations in lockdown, economic activity is resuming, and we need to drive effective customer solutions for future growth. We are in a strong position as far as subscription revenue is concerned with a stable subscriber base and growth in contribution of HD subscribers. This is an indication of its strength amongst a homogeneous set of consumers who chose Zee Café for its strong legacy of content. Television will continue to be the ideal platform for advertisers looking to reach out to their consumers. Youth-focused premium brands can pick and choose fresh content that they can associate with to reach a premium subscriber base given a sharply segmented audience that English entertainment on television attracts while similar content on digital is behind paywall. Recently, for the premiere of Jumanji: The Next Level on &amp;flix, Zee Café and &amp;PrivéHD, and a simulcast in Hindi on Zee Cinema, we saw several reputable brands onboard such as Kia Motors, Ariel, Amazon, Airtel 4G, Xiaomi, Protinex and ITC along with Bingo Potato chips, Hyundai Creta, Behrouz Biryani, Bharat Matrimony onboard for the Hindi simulcast. The premiere garnered an overwhelming response with an incredible 34 million reach making it one of the biggest premieres in the last 12 months. Q) What have some of your growth drivers been? What has helped Zee Cafe stay relevant and win against the test of time? With out-of-home entertainment options being limited in the new normal, television will continue to be the trusted entertainment destination for individuals and families. Interestingly, India is the second-largest English speaking country in the world (BBC India Report - 2012).Thus, in the long run, regional markets will continue to fuel new user growth for English entertainment. There is a whole set of audience moving from regional to English content as they become more comfortable with English as a professional, conversational language. We have designed unique offerings such as locally nuanced content on Zee Café that has helped drive resonance and enabled adoption of English content amongst an aspirational, English comfortable audience. Q) What are your strategies towards bringing more viewers to your channel, enhancing their experience and also how are you looking at driving higher engagement? Our content philosophy was built around ‘All Eyes On New’, with an endeavor to deliver fresh content or a fresh perspective to iconic content. With curation as our core focus, we’ve constantly introduced new programming formats and new properties that best suit the needs of our ever-evolving viewers. With content blocks such as ‘BBC First’ which brought complex British dramas for the first time to India or ‘Along With The US’ where our viewers watched fresh content series along with its international telecast; we truly set the benchmark for being the innovators in the English entertainment category. With most of the shows on Zee Café such as Titan Games, American Idol, Battlebots, Seal Team, FBI, A Million Little Things, Charmed, The Chefs’ Line being available on television first, we’ve lived up to the consumer promise of ‘All eyes on New’. Catering to the evolving needs of the consumer, we introduced locally nuanced content such as Starry Nights GEN Y and Not Just Supper Stars that broadened the consumption repertoire on the channel.

Zee Café has played a pivotal role in shaping the ‘glocal’ genre through compelling content: Kartik Mahadev, ZEEL

<ul><li>After 18 months of dry spell, <keyword id="2823" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Akshay-Kumar">Akshay Kumar</keyword>’s <keyword id="1803793" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bell-Bottom">Bell Bottom</keyword> is all set to hit the theatres tomorrow.</li><li>Elara Capital shares what this return of movies could mean for the cinema industry.</li></ul>Due to the pandemic, India’s cinema industry has suffered through a severe drought for more than 18 months now. Bollywood movies like Bhuj: The Pride of India, Sheershah, Toofan and Mimi, which could have been big successes on the big screen, had to be released on Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms. However, the cinema industry has a lot to rejoice for Akshay Kumar’s Bell Bottom is all set to hit the theatres tomorrow across 1,500-1800 screens. Before COVID, a big-ticket Bollywood movie was released at least across 4,000 screens in India. According to Elara Capital, Bell Bottom’s collection assumptions are on the lower side -- almost 65%-70% lower than earlier films of Akshay Kumar which reported a lifetime Box Office of Rs 180-200 crore. This is primarily due to night curfew in most states, Maharashtra not being open for movies yet, low consumer sentiment and 50% occupancy cap. As per the trends in other markets, Elara Capital further revealed that the audience is now comfortable going to cinemas for good content. Regional films (Punjabi and Telugu) have opened up to full house with a 50% occupancy cap in the first weekend and has seen healthy occupancy numbers on weekdays too. This trend indicates signs of Box Office coming back to 50% of pre-COVID collection on an overall basis in near term. “We believe this is a very promising sign as these numbers are only post 2-3 weeks of cinema opening in India post second wave and despite multiple restrictions. Hollywood content has not fared well primarily due to Maharashtra’s curfew on cinema, as the latter contributes almost 35%-40% of Box Office for English content,” said Karan Taurani, Senior VP - Research Analyst, Elara Capital. <div type="image" title="elara capital revenue" msid="85425507" hostid="261"></div> “We maintain our view that over the next six to nine months, larger films across genres will release and collections for these too will breach towards 60% of pre-COVID primarily helped by 1) larger portion of population (middle and upper middle class) being vaccinated with two doses and 2) relaxation on restrictions (night curfew), 3) uptick in festive season towards Diwali/Christmas and 4) more screens being allowed to open; this is in line with our view that India will surpass global Box Office trends as globally Box Office has breached towards mere 40%-45% of pre COVID collections, despite 90% of the screens being open since last six months,” added Taurani. Elara Capital’s report on Media and Entertainment industry further predicts that the overall revenue may to revert to 80% of pre-COVID (FY20) in FY23, with a recovery in FY24, which may see revenue moving toward 110-120% vs pre-COVID (FY20). “We expect ad revenue to take the longest to recover due to high exposure to local advertising whereas other revenue metrics (F&amp;B &amp; convenience fee) will follow footfall recovery trends. Less impact from the Third Wave and faster recovery in ad spend by FY23 will be key monitorable driving upgrades in the near to medium term, in our view,” reads the report. <div type="image" title="elara - ad revenue" msid="85425516" hostid="261"></div> So far, Disney + Hotstar has bagged the highest number of big-ticket releases. <div type="image" title="movies on ott" msid="85425535" hostid="261"></div> Elara Capital is optimistic that Akshay Kumar's Bell Bottom will set the ball rolling and encourage more producers to return to theatrical release.

As Akshay Kumar’s Bell Bottom hits cinema, Elara Capital predicts 50% recovery in a few months but ad revenue to take the longest to recover

<ul><li>After the pandemic, many of us were stuck within the four walls of our houses and OTT platforms like <keyword id="128682" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword>, Amazon Prime and <keyword id="2739840" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hotstar" source="Orion">Hotstar</keyword> sometimes became the only source of entertainment in our lives.</li><li>The pandemic also gave a push to the regional <keyword id="9056838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott-industry" source="Orion">OTT industry</keyword> and saw the birth of native language streaming players like Hoichoi, aha, Sun NXT, Planet Marathi, Koode, and City Short TV.</li><li>As per experts, the regional OTT players have already captured 50% of the OTT market in less than 3-4 years.</li></ul>Kaiser, the homicide detective who tries to deal with double murders and his own demons side by side; then there is Three Roses – with young girls who are in the middle of to-be-married mess in the complex Indian juxtaposition of tradition and independence. Yes, you have guessed it right. They are all topics of superhit web series but you can’t find them on Netflix, Prime or even Disney Hotstar – they are from Hoichoi, Bengali OTT and aha, a Telugu and Tamil OTT, respectively. Apart from regional cinema taking over <keyword id="143" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bollywood" source="Orion">Bollywood</keyword>, a silent revolution is underway where regional OTTs are taking away the eyeballs of Indians – by offering them quality content in their mother tongue. And, there are a lot of these. Of the total <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/a-cred-like-platform-is-what-indian-ott-users-want-to-juggle-multiple-subscriptions/articleshow/92570894.cms">60 OTT </a>platforms in India, around 12 of them are exclusively regional across languages like — Sun NXT, Planet Marathi, Koode, and City Short TV, which is a hyperlocal content OTT. One movie, every week According to a FICCI-EY <a href="https://www.financialexpress.com/brandwagon/regional-ott-on-the-rise-as-subscribers-choose-native-language-over-hindi/2272860/">report</a>, the share of regional language consumption on OTT platforms will cross 50% by 2025 from the 30% share it held in 2019. As per FICCI-EY though, regional consumption is expected to surpass Hindi, which is predicted to touch a 45% consumption rate. But a few players are confident that it has already hit this number. “The regional OTT market today probably is 50% already of the total OTT market size in India, including all regional languages. It is set to grow faster than Hindi for sure,” Ajit Thakur, CEO of Telugu and Tamil OTT platform aha told Business Insider India. The OTT, which is adding one movie every week, has touched 10 million monthly active users (Maus) in two years. Its app saw 30 million downloads. It has also generated $2 million in non-subscription <a href="https://www.afaqs.com/news/media/telugu-ott-platform-aha-to-rely-on-avod-to-break-even">revenue </a>in the last six months and is considering adding gaming onto its platform and becoming a super app. Aha also intends to target Tamil-speaking viewers as well after winning the hearts of the people who speak the fourth most spoken <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-45902204">language </a>in India and also one of the top 10 fastest-growing <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-45902204">languages </a>in America. The magic price point Apart from the content, the price points of these OTTs are attractive too — as it’s akin to subscribing for a regional TV channel pack as opposed to the full range with all genres and offerings across languages – like Netflix, Prime, Disney Hotstar or even Zee. Hoichoi however has ‘eased’ its subscription with a syndication deal with mainstream OTT players such as MX Player and Amazon Prime. Hoichoi, one of the earliest regional OTT platforms to launch in India, is trying to capture the 250 million Bengali speakers across the world. “The generic OTT market has grown at least 30-50% over the year and we've all outpaced that industry by a fair margin. We've got about 120 odd shows, in addition to about 600-700 movies. In fact, April, May and June were bigger than COVID months for us,” Vishnu Mohta, co-founder of the Bengali streaming platform told Business Insider India. Its extensive content library remains unmatched in the OTT universe. But Mohta says that it’s just ‘getting started’. “I see a stable growth trajectory for the next five years,” he said – which is much higher than the growth in ‘national’ OTTs. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;" class="redcator-table-advance"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">OTT platform </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Plan </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Price </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Netflix </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Annual mobile </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹1788 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Amazon Prime Video </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Annual </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹1499 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">aha </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Annual </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹299 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hoichoi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Annual </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹999 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Planet Marathi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Annual </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">₹365 </td></tr></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody><tbody></tbody></table> Trending across 7 countries Planet Marathi was a pandemic baby as it was launched during the lockdown. As the name suggests it caters to Marathi-speaking audiences India and abroad. <div type="image" title="Planet marathi" msid="92795598" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Planet Marathi&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> It already has a superhit web show to its name – Raanbaazaar, which delves into the murky world of politics and two escorts and the mindgame involved. The show became the most-watched Marathi series on OTT and trended across seven countries – thanks to the state’s extensive expat population. “We launched 13 Planet Marathi originals and have another 24 planned out over the next year. Our viewership comes from India and across the world. There has been an increase in the stickiness of the content, with time spent by users increasing almost 350% after Raanbaazaar’s release,” said Akshay Bardapurkar, founder of Planet Marathi. In the meanwhile, top OTTs haven’t been ignoring these viewers either. In fact most of them release regional movies and shows with audio and subtitle options – thereby ‘extending’ the reach of regional content to non-regional players as well. The best example in this list is the recently launched Modern Love Hyderabad which has an original Telugu show dubbed across five languages including Hindi and English, for those who want to catch the flavour of the show in their own language. ZEE5 too has <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/corporate/story/zee5-plans-to-triple-investment-in-tamil-telugu-content-in-2022-328762-2022-04-05">tripled </a>its investment into regional content this year and international player <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/info-tech/netflix-on-the-lookout-for-regional-language-content-in-2022/article37835172.ece">Netflix </a>is also looking to deeper inroads in India by zooming in on regional market — but whether they would be able to win the war in every regional turf across India is left to be seen – as India has 121 official <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/more-than-19500-mother-tongues-spoken-in-india-census-5241056/">languages </a>and 19,500 mother tongues.

Hoichoi, aha and Planet Marathi - regional OTTs challenging Netflix, Prime and Hotstar

<ul><li>The Big four directors of <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> Industry — <keyword id="36968" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Zoya-Akhtar">Zoya Akhtar</keyword>, <keyword id="7929" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anurag-Kashyap">Anurag Kashyap</keyword>, <keyword id="3778" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karan-Johar">Karan Johar</keyword>, and <keyword id="35863" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dibakar-Banerjee">Dibakar Banerjee</keyword> — are coming together for a Netflix's show <keyword id="1248108" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ghost-stories">Ghost stories</keyword>. </li><li>Production of Netflix's Ghost Stories will begin in August.Netflix's Lust Stories was released in June 2018 with the very same directors.</li></ul>The Big four directors of Bollywood — Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap, Karan Johar, and Dibakar Banerjee — are coming together for a Netflix's show "ghost stories" <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/karan-johar-anurag-kashyap-zoya-akhtar-dibaker-banerjee-ghost-stories-netflix-original-5868705/">report</a>s Indian Express. These very directors had come together for Netflix’s popular series Lust Stories, which was released on June 2018. <div type="twitter" handle="NetflixIndia" handlename="Netflix India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1072124554808422401/s8K84jEW_normal.jpg" favoritecount="3076" retweetcount="294" status="✅ Zoya Akhtar ✅ Karan Johar ✅ Dibakar Banerjee ✅ Anurag Kashyap Are you screaming yet? You will be soon.… https://t.co/INXSozSfPr" createdat="1564633500000" id="1156782859245502464"></div>
 According to <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/karan-johar-anurag-kashyap-zoya-akhtar-dibaker-banerjee-ghost-stories-netflix-original-5868705/">reports</a>, each of these filmmakers will direct an episode of the horror series. It is the third time RSVP and Netflix are coming together for a series. The production of Ghost Stories will begin in August. The stories, directed by the filmmakers, will be thematically connected to each other and culminate into an ending. Netflix is<a href="https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/netflixs-ghost-stories-a-nightmare-for-dream-team-karan-johar-zoya-akhtar-anurag-kashyap-dibakar-ban-2078555"> reportedly</a> planning to stream the show across 190 countries at the same time, reaching 151 million users. Unchartered terrain: Karan Johar Top movie producer and director Karan Johar said that horror is an unchartered terrain of him. He promises to exhibit his own turn his own fear of ghosts into the new series. “I have always been mortified to watch the horror genre and have always stayed very far away from any ghost story! So to direct one is not only hugely challenging but also exceptionally exciting," Karan said. Kashyap, who has collaborated with Netflix on multiple occasions said, "I am really looking forward to challenging myself to make something that I have never attempted before. Also, I have never prepared so much for anything before." (With IANS)

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