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Best Bollywood comebacks to OTT; Sushmita Sen, Karisma Kapoor, Bobby Deol and more

<ul><li><keyword id="2214311" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mx-player">MX Player</keyword>'s original series Aashram featuring Bobby Deol, has become the first series in India to garner 300 million+ streams in less than a month. </li><li>We speak to <keyword id="1381405" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gautam-Talwar">Gautam Talwar</keyword>, Chief Content Officer, MX Player to find out the strategy behind it and the platform’s plan to double down on the production of original content once we resume normalcy. </li></ul>Aashram has become MX Player’s best performing original content as the series has already garnered 300 million streams in less than a month. Gautam Talwar, Chief Content Officer, MX Player, said, “Aashram would be one of the top series seen in this country. We have just crossed 300 million streams in less than a month. It has actually surpassed our expectations and broken most of our internal records -- whether it would be the number of streams we have seen or the number of new users that have come onto the platform because of Aashram has been historic for us. Even if you compare it across the industry, it would be one of the top ranking shows in this country.” Aashram has also helped MX Player grow stronger in its existing markets by 130-140%. MX Player was able to achieve these numbers because of its large distribution. It currently has 75 million Daily Active Users and 200 million Monthly Active Users. They also used all their media vehicles to drive more traffic and get new users. It upped its media plan by going 360-degree including Out of Home, radio and TV. On how it all started, Talwar said, “Work on Aashram started about 2 years ago when I had just joined. We knew a world we wanted to tell a story within and started with Habib Faisal writing a brilliant story for us. He had these mind-blowing characters in his mind whether it was Baba Nirala, Sati, Ujagar and Pami -- he gave us the bible and then we took it to the captain of the ship, Prakash Jha himself. He added so many more layers to the writing and gave it the real vision that was needed to create a show of this scale.” During the on-going pandemic of about 28 weeks, between originals and acquired content, MX Player has launched 27 shows -- which is around one show a week. After seeing great response for its originals such as Aashram and Times of Music, MX Player is also planning to double down its production of original content. Sharing the content pipeline for the coming months, Talwar said, “We are going to double down on our originals. We are launching one on October 07. It is called High. It is again a show that we are proud of. It is at par with international shows. There are a couple of shows that we have already shot and are getting post-produced. One of them is Aashram Season 1 Part 2. So, we are sorted till January.” MX Player has used the lockdown period quite smartly. It realised it has a content-hungry audience and tried to launch content for every mood. As they call it, MX Player is ‘Everytainment’ -- a platform that satiates every need gap and polished its scripts. “All of us went through the 6-months of no shooting period so that has put us on a fast track now. As soon as the unlock happens, we hope to put a lot more shows on the floor to shoot them. They do take their time. Each and every show has a lead time of about a year and a half. So that is going to be a challenge. We have used the lockdown time to make sure that the writing is taken care of,” shared Talwar. MX Player’s vision is to stand true to its proposition i.e., have enough content to satiate every need gap. For more details on Aashram’s performance, watch our interview with Talwar here: <div type="Video" msid="78353252" hostid="261" title="MX Player's Aashram is the only series in India to garner 300 million+ streams in less than a month" dataSource="BUSINESSINSIDER" thumbUrl="https://denmark.timesinternet.in/cmslite/api/app/images.jpg?msid=78353252"></div>

MX Player’s Aashram garners 300 million+ streams in less than a month

MX Player's Aashram is the only series in India to garner 300 million+ streams in less than a month

<ul><li>Actor Bobby Deol's <keyword id="9422601" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-debut-series">digital debut series</keyword> "<keyword id="8398807" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="aashram">Aashram</keyword>" will premiere on August 28 on MX Player. </li><li>The 51-year-old actor took to social media to share the premiere date and first look teaser of the web series, directed by filmmaker Prakash Jha. </li><li>The series also features <keyword id="62704" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="chandan-roy-sanyal">Chandan Roy Sanyal</keyword>, <keyword id="1403180" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aaditi-Pohankar">Aaditi Pohankar</keyword>, <keyword id="2501305" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Darshan-Kumaar">Darshan Kumaar</keyword>, and Adhyayan Suman in pivotal roles. </li></ul> Actor Bobby Deol's digital debut series "Aashram" will premiere on August 28 on MX Player. The 51-year-old actor took to social media to share the premiere date and first look teaser of the web series, directed by filmmaker Prakash Jha. "Here is the first look of #Aashram, I am looking forward to seeing it together with you all on August 28, 2020 only on @MXPlayer. @prakashjha27 @IamRoySanyal @AaditiPohankar @DarshanKumaar @AdhyayanSsuman," Deol wrote on Twitter. The series also features Chandan Roy Sanyal, Aaditi Pohankar, Darshan Kumaar, and Adhyayan Suman in pivotal roles. Deol is also awaiting the release of his Netflix film "Class of 83", produced by <keyword id="1671" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shah-Rukh-Khan">Shah Rukh Khan</keyword>'s Red Chillies Entertainment. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/india-stock-brokers-hit-by-sebi-direct-market-access/articleshow/77198064.cms">India's broking industry just got the shock of its life – SEBI may soon allow investors to trade directly on the exchanges</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/ril-has-a-sobering-quarter-if-not-for-jio-and-bp-stake-sale-it-would-have-been-much-worse/articleshow/77264366.cms">RIL has a sobering quarter⁠— if not for Jio and stake sale to BP it would have been much worse</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/comparison-of-indias-rafale-fighter-jets-with-chinese-latest-j-20-fighter-jets/slidelist/77238828.cms">India’s Rafale fighter jets — Here’s how it stacks up against Chinese J-20</a>

Bobby Deol's first web series "Aashram" to release on August 28

Mumbai, Describing his character in "Animal" as a man "obsessed" with revenge, <keyword id="9279" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="bobby-deol" source="Orion">Bobby Deol</keyword> says he approached the role from a non-judgemental space, completely surrendering to the thought process of his barbaric antagonist. The Sandeep Reddy Vanga-directed crime drama film showcases a violent world set against the backdrop of a troubled relationship between <keyword id="6357861" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ranbir-kapoor" source="Orion">Ranbir Kapoor</keyword>'s <keyword id="41498" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ranvijay-singh" source="Orion">Ranvijay Singh</keyword> and his father Balbir Singh, played by Anil Kapoor. The movie has amassed Rs 236 crore at the box office in two days. Deol, who became one of the highlights of the film soon after its teaser was released in September, essays the role of antagonist Abrar Haque in the movie. "There's good and evil in every human being and what gets the evil out of you is some situation. As an actor, you think as a character. 'I'm doing nothing wrong, I'm right in whatever I do'. You forget how to judge what is right and wrong," the actor told PTI in an interview. Deol said he had no hesitation while playing a character beyond morals and values as there was a convincing back story. "I was not put into a situation where I was not convinced or had to be convinced or felt awkward. I felt Abrar, the kind of savage and evil he is, I had to play it that way," he added. Deol said there was a compelling explanation for the animalistic nature of his character Abrar . "He is obsessed with revenge. So when you get so obsessed, you don't see what is good and bad, you just want to finish someone. That's how it is. In the film, he has suffered... It's a trauma that has made him this animal kind of a person," the actor added. Animal also features <keyword id="3677061" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rashmika-mandanna" source="Orion">Rashmika Mandanna</keyword>, Triptii Dimri, Shakti Kapoor, Suresh Oberoi and Prem Chopra. Since its release on Friday, the film has received polarising reactions from critics and audiences, with many deriding the movie for its violent and volatile protagonist, showcasing toxic masculinity and absurd plot points. Deol, 54, said it is impossible to make a film which is universally accepted. "Filmmakers create stories for people to be entertained. This kind of toxicity and all of this exists in our society... Somewhere people can identify with it. But there will always be people who won't like it, nothing can be liked by every individual... I think we are entertainers and we want to do different kinds of genres. That's how I look at it," the actor said. Though there was so much hype around Deol's character in "Animal", to audiences' disappointment the actor has limited screen time. It was a character with a lot of substance and he wasn't concerned about the length of role, said the actor. "It's not the length of the role, it is the kind of the character which has so much substance. I wish I had more scenes but when I signed the film, I knew this is what I had. At that point in my life, I was grateful to god that I was given this chance to play this role by Sandeep. "I knew I had only 15 days of work and wouldn't be there throughout the film. I was sure people would notice me, but I never realised that there will be so much love, appreciation and affection. It's like wow! It's amazing," he added. Deol, however, believes there is potential for a spin-off on his "Animal" character. "People have loved the character so much that there should be a spin-off. It is so encouraging that people appreciate your work and they want to see more of you, playing that character. It feels good," he added. The actor along with lead star Ranbir Kapoor had to bulk up for their roles in the movie. While it was difficult to stay in shape, the motivation to play Abrar was the driving force, he said. "I had to pump it out. It is tough to maintain physique but it's the joy of playing a character, which I was so excited about. That kept giving me the strength to keep working hard at it," Deol said. Be it series "Aashram", film "Love Hostel", and now "Animal", the actor is delighted to have found acceptance for his portrayal of negative characters. "It is exciting to play characters of different kinds and complexities. It's challenging to play evil. Whenever I've played evil parts, people have loved me. The amount of love I got for 'Aashram' was insane and now even in 'Animal' people have loved me." In "Aashram", he was seen as a self-styled godman, and in "Love Hostel", he played Viraj Singh Dagar, a ruthless ex-convict hitman. The actor said his family members are proud of his work in "Animal" and added that 2023 has turned out to be an amazing year for the Deol family with the success of brother <keyword id="9271" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="sunny-deol" source="Orion">Sunny Deol</keyword>'s "Gadar 2" and "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani", that featured his father, cinema icon Dharmendra, in a pivotal role. "They are happy for me. This year has been such an amazing time for us. My brother had 'Gadar 2', my film 'Animal' is getting so much love at the box office and my father's work... It's just all amazing," he said.

Trauma made Abrar an 'Animal': Bobby Deol on his negative role

<ul><li>The pandemic and the ensuing lockdown has changed our lives, perhaps forever. It has brought about many behavioural changes among consumers. While some were temporary, there are many that will perhaps become permanent.</li><li>People discovered the many conveniences of <keyword id="1245953" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott" source="Orion">OTT</keyword> platforms during the last 2 years and the sector is only expected to grow from here.</li><li>Baskar Subramanian, Co-founder and CEO, <keyword id="751982" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amagi" source="Orion">Amagi</keyword> writes why OTT is getting consumer love and why the streaming media is here to stay. </li></ul>The pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns completely transformed our entertainment experience. From 'Let's go for a good movie', we moved to 'What should we watch on <keyword id="128682" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword>?'. Movie premiers and live sporting events like IPL and others have moved to OTT. For example, Netflix released the Kangana Ranaut starrer Thalaivi and Zee5 released Bob Biswas starring Amitabh Bachchan exclusively on OTT platforms. Homegrown web series like The Family Man, Sacred Games, Aarya, Special Ops, Aashram, Mirzapur and more undoubtedly elevated the popularity of OTT platforms among the tech-savvy millennials and Gen Z population who had embraced OTT over Cable TV or DTH subscriptions even before the onset of the pandemic. Post the pandemic, however, the trend has only increased, fuelled by the many conveniences that OTT offers over traditional broadcast. With streaming TV, the fight for the remote is laid to rest. Every person in a household can watch their favorite shows on their personal devices. Content can be viewed even while travelling, and consumers are spoilt for choice with languages, content variety, and on-demand viewing. Consumers have made their preferences clear - more people are cutting the cord, shifting from paid TV subscriptions to internet-based streaming services. Boston Consulting Group predicts that the OTT content market is at an inflection point in India and is likely to reach a market size of $5 billion by 2023. From just two OTT platform providers in 2012 to about 40 players at present, the OTT revolution has come a long way in India. Estimates from Phando Corp suggest that monthly active users (MAUs) for India’s OTT video sector have grown at a blistering rate of 300% since 2019 to reach 680 million in 2021, with rural and tier 2 &amp; 3 cities consumption reaching an 80% share. West Versus India Several factors including the widespread availability of broadband infrastructure, the ubiquity of mobile phones and other connected portable devices, and quest for personalised experiences have spurred the adoption of OTT consumption in the Western world. At the same time, technology investments, the emergence of new apps, features, and independent platforms for OTT content have also been growth drivers. Tech companies such as Amazon, Facebook, Apple, YouTube, connected device providers such as Samsung, Xiaomi, LG, and studios such Disney, MGM, Paramount, Sony are among the major corporations who have entered the OTT space, giving a plethora of programming choices to the consumers in the West. The growth in OTT platforms combined with the subsequent content boom has seen vernacular content from different regions gaining international popularity. South Korean dystopian drama broke all records by becoming the most watched content on Netflix by netizens around the world. Similarly, Indian dramas such as Sacred Games and Delhi Crime were viewed and enjoyed by a global audience. As a result, all eyes are now firmly set on opportunities in emerging economies, specifically in the Indian subcontinent, with major players from the west entering the foray with attractive subscription offers, and diverse content catalogues. Some have chosen to collaborate with or acquire local brands to establish a firmer foothold in the region. For example, with the launch of Disney Plus in the US back in 2019, the streaming service promptly expanded to many other countries, including India. However, instead of getting a dedicated app for Indian users, the company acquired the Hotstar streaming platform and soon rebranded to Disney+ Hotstar. The coming together of Disney and Star TV Network (20th Century Fox) attracted tens of millions of subscribers in India and provided them access to a premium catalogue of content from Disney and Star TV. One of the challenges in India is the ability to monetize online content. Research suggests that the Advertising-led Video on Demand (AVOD) model is far more popular than Subscription-led video on demand (SVOD) models given the reluctance of viewers in India to pay for online content. While about 60% of total video viewing in India happens on YouTube, Netflix has 40 Mn monthly active users. Disney Plus Hotstar too has reached the critical mass with its freemium model, well-supported by relevant collaborations, such as sports (read cricket), which drives volume. Also, a KPMG study reveals that, unlike the West, only 10% of viewers access OTT platforms for watching original content. Rather, OTT is used primarily for the convenience of anytime and personal viewing of movies, music, sports or to catch-up with TV content. Driving OTT Growth in India As a country with a population of 1.23 billion, India is the next big market for OTT platforms. Some of the growth drivers for OTT players in India, based on the precedent from the West include: ● Investments in Content Video streaming services are expected to spend around ₹1,920 crore to create original content for India in 2021, driven in part by the sharp rise in audiences during the 2020 lockdown. The platforms will further increase spends, including on sports, to ₹30,000 crore, during 2021-25, according to the latest FICCI-EY media and entertainment industry report. Around 500 original titles are likely to be released in 2021 across platforms, as opposed to 385 titles in 2019 and 220 in 2020. The investment in original content makes sense given that viewers are learning to pay for the content they consume, especially original content. In 2020, 29 million subscribers paid for 53 million OTT video subscriptions (not counting subscriptions bundled along with data plans), a figure that is estimated to increase to 39 million subscribers for 71 million subscriptions in 2021. Netflix has more than 40 originals scheduled for 2021 and is expanding its slate by nearly three times compared to 2020. Amazon Prime Video has 50 local originals in various stages of development and 30 in various stages of production. Demand for original content will likely double by 2023 compared to 2019 levels. ● Content – the New Battlefield for Viewers Increasing number of consumers from tier-2 and tier-3 cities have spurred the production of regional content. Alt Balaji has seen a change after the pandemic. Before the pandemic, the top 8 cities in India contributed to 70% of their total audience; post-April 2020, 60% of the traffic is from other tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Old favourite shows are being re-aired on OTT platforms, while investments in new content production continue. Recently Amazon announced the acquisition of MGM, for $8.45 billion, giving it access to MGM’s library of 4000 film titles and 17,000 TV shows. We have witnessed the emergence of a wide variety of content including Indian content since India has a diverse market with over a dozen languages that are widely spoken across the country. OTT players are shifting their focus towards localisation of their platforms, to be able to connect with the Indian users, be it in terms of regional languages, geography and user experience etc. India already has about 40 OTT players and 10 music streaming apps in existence catering to various entertainment and media demands. This has opened the doors for OTT platforms to promote regional and hyperlocal content. In fact, a leading OTT player recently released 11 shows during the lockdown- all locally curated shows. The share of regional language consumption on OTT platforms is expected to cross 50% of total time spent by 2025, easing past Hindi at 45%. ● Government Regulations The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has, in the past year, stressed the need for some form of regulation of OTT Platforms to streamline the sector. In this regard, the MIB recently notified the Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021. The new rules require OTT platforms to set up a robust three-tier grievance redressal mechanism. The first level will comprise regulation by the OTT Platform itself through a grievance officer. The second level will be an institutional self-regulatory body formed by publishers of content and their associations. This self-regulatory body will comprise industry experts headed by a retired Supreme Court/ High Court judge /eminent personality in the relevant field. At the third level is an inter-department committee constituted by the MIB that will provide oversight and hear appeals for decisions taken at level two or if a complaint is referred to the inter-department committee by MIB. Regulation might help improve the quality of content in the future. ● The Future of OTT - New Applications and Content Innovations There is no doubt that the future of <keyword id="6357922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="television" source="Orion">television</keyword> is OTT, and the industry is at a nascent stage. Content is the force that defines the direction of evolution in the industry. New applications such as learning, education and fitness are being explored. Pricewaterhouse Coopers reported that in 2018, more than 40% of new internet users in the world were children. Edtech platforms like Byjus and Unacademy use the OTT streaming approach for education. Similarly, possible applications for learning management in corporations are being explored. While fitness was never considered an activity that could be done remotely, the pandemic saw this notion change. According to a Bobble.AI report, besides video conferencing apps and websites, fitness applications such as Lose Weight, Cure.fit, recorded a 104.53% rise in daily active users. Video streaming platforms are also creating content to cater to this trend. Disney+ Hotstar has partnered with Brilliant Wellness, to introduce content from its fitness experts, yoga, and spiritual gurus. -- India’s large population and relatively young age demographics make the business environment dynamic and interesting. Digital savvy young consumers in India are spread over a wide geography and have a vast range of preferences, languages and appreciate multi-cultural entertainment. As content and technology come together to create a solution that caters to this unique business environment, OTT and streaming media are here to stay.

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Best Bollywood comebacks to OTT; Sushmita Sen, Karisma Kapoor, Bobby Deol and more

Soniya Tiwari

MX Player’s Aashram garners 300 million+ streams in less than a month

Karuna Sharma

MX Player's Aashram is the only series in India to garner 300 million+ streams in less than a month

Business Insider India

Bobby Deol's first web series "Aashram" to release on August 28

PTI

Trauma made Abrar an 'Animal': Bobby Deol on his negative role

PTI

How India is ‘Cutting the Cord’ to drive an OTT revolution

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