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<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

<ul><li>With a recent funding of $110 million funding from Times Internet and Tencent, MX Player closed 2019 on a good note, however the challenge for the platform has been to get viewers to engage with its content library on a daily-basis. </li><li>On the back of its varied content range, interactive content plan, and a mix of partnership content and originals, MX Player is hopeful of grabbing the number one spot in the OTT space soon. </li><li>Gautam Talwar, Chief Content Officer, MX Player shares the next big plan for the platform in 2020. </li></ul>For MX Player, 2019 ended on a rather good note. The platform’s web-series Queen, which was originally made in Tamil, saw an overwhelming response from other parts of the country. The series was later dubbed in Hindi, Bengali and Telugu. Post-launch, the platform saw an upsurge in its downloads on the Google app store and started trending on spot one for a week. On the back of its varied content range that caters to different audiences across age groups, interactive content plan, and scale of users, MX Player is hopeful to be the number one player on every metric in a few years. “I hope to be the absolute number one in the OTT segment in two-three years. We are second in line and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be on the top of the pile in three years. The scale of the app is very large and with all the metrics including watch-time and everything else, we should be galloping towards the number one position very soon,” expounds Gautam Talwar, Chief Content Player, MX Player. It also received a $110 million funding from Times Internet and Tencent towards the end of 2019, helping it inch closer towards its goal of becoming the number one player. Plan for the New Year The home-grown platform has about 175 million Monthly Active Users (MAUs) and stands at 75 million on its Daily Active Users. This is where the bridge exists. While the number of app downloads and MAUs have increased dramatically, for MX Player, the challenge has been to get viewers to engage more with its content library on a daily-basis. Therefore, in 2020, the agenda is to get its audience to watch more content on its platform. “We have new audience coming in on a daily basis. The whole point is to make sure that they start watching our programs. We want to deliver to them the content that they want to watch, and for us, that is the real challenge, not really getting the downloads,” shares Talwar. MX Player further aims to build a vast content library with interactive tools for its audience, to partner with more networks and launch 20 originals in different languages. Innovation and interaction are going to be another focus areas in 2020. “I think with every product we put out into the market, there are massive improvements in the features of the product and we will keep improving them on a regular basis. Interactivity with the content, on the other hand, is going to be the next big trend for us. We're working very hard to ensure that our consumers interact with every piece of content that we launch,” adds Talwar. As far as the advertisers are concerned, the platform has seen a steady growth there, too. “Overall, the platform is growing -- the numbers are growing, watch-time is growing -- there is no reason why advertisers should not follow,” says Talwar. Content Marketing Strategy Since its inception, the marketing strategy for MX Player has been 'Everytainment'. It provides a varied content library that caters primarily to Tier II and Tier III audiences. In 2019, originals such as Hey Prabhu!, Aafat, Hello Mini, Im'Mature, and Love Ok Please performed well for the platform. Explaining the strategy behind these shows, Talwar said, “Every human being watches content basis a certain need gap -- a certain emotion that he wants to feed and therefore, we make sure that apart from the large shows that we have in the pipeline, we take this mood of the viewer into consideration, and then a programming and content strategy is followed to satiate that particular need gap. This is why we make sure that the programming is across genres. We understand our audience very well and try and build on that, and our marketing also reflects that.” While the plan for the new year is yet to be set in motion, right now, MX Player is pinning its hopes on its latest launch ‘Queen.’

MX Player aims to beat Netflix, Amazon Prime and ZEE5; confident of becoming No 1 by 2023

<ul><li><keyword id="2214311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mx-player" source="Orion">MX Player</keyword> has launched a new premium ad-free service called <keyword id="12138454" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mx-gold" source="Orion">MX Gold</keyword> with a pay later option.</li><li>Users can now watch ad-free shows and movies on the platform whenever they want and pay for them later.</li><li>MX Player will start its ‘Watch-Now-Pay-Later’ service in partnership with Paytm PostPaid.</li></ul>MX Player — the video streaming platform owned by the Times Internet — launched a new premium ad-free service called MX Gold with a pay later option. Unlike other OTT players like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ Hotstar, users can now watch ad-free shows and movies on the platform whenever they want and pay for them later. MX Gold — priced at ₹299 for an entire year — is the first ‘Watch-Now-Pay-Later’ offering by a streaming service. “We are breaking the mould of how entertainment has been consumed till date,” said Abhishek Joshi, business head of MX Player. MX Player will start its ‘Watch-Now-Pay-Later’ service in partnership with Paytm PostPaid, but it will onboard other partners in the time to come. The development was first <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/mx-player-to-allow-users-to-watch-first-pay-later-for-paid-service/articleshow/91947568.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">reported</a> by Economic Times. “Entertainment has always been a 'pay first experience later' phenomenon, and we intend to change that. If you don't have money to spare at this juncture or do not have your payment details handy, this initiative will let you navigate your way out of trouble, and you can pay when it suits you,” said Joshi. The company believes that the arrangement gives more time to the customers to pay and makes it much easier for them to decide what to buy. It also claims that the feature would make customers less likely to hesitate while deciding what to watch. The company currently has 175 million active users in India and over 275 million monthly active users worldwide. According to data by utilities comparison and sales company Selectra, MX Player app has over 500 million downloads. Disclaimer: Times Internet is a part of Bennett, Coleman and Company Limited (BCCL), which also publishes Business Insider in India. SEE ALSO <a class="tout-title-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/ril-maruti-suzuki-tata-motors-bajaj-auto-among-stock-to-watch-out-for-on-june-2/slidelist/91953190.cms" style="">RIL, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Bajaj Auto among stock to watch out for on June 2</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/infosys-could-remain-the-vendor-of-choice-even-if-recession-comes-say-analysts/articleshow/91952813.cms" style="">Infosys could remain the ‘vendor of choice’ even if recession comes, say analysts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/mukesh-ambanis-jio-lags-behind-airtel-which-is-the-top-telecom-brand-in-india/articleshow/91935279.cms" style="">Mukesh Ambani's Jio lags behind Airtel which is the top telecom brand in India</a>

This OTT player lets you ‘watch now and pay later’

<ul><li>As <keyword id="10411622" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott-consumption">OTT consumption</keyword> sees an uptick, <keyword id="2214311" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mx-player">MX Player</keyword> cuts down video streaming <keyword id="1588632" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Data-consumption">data consumption</keyword> by half. </li><li>MX Player upgrades to video encoding and compression technology to H.266 (Versatile Video Coding) that slashes data usage for streaming videos by more than half.</li></ul>Online video consumption in India has grown exponentially, accounting for 80% of consumer internet traffic. But the user experience continues to remain highly dependent on data usage and network speed. MX Player, India's entertainment super-app with over 200 million Monthly Active Users has become the world’s first OTT platform to upgrade its video encoding &amp; compression technology to H.266 (Versatile Video Coding) that slashes data usage for streaming videos by more than half. MX Player as well as MX TakaTak users will be the first in the world to experience the benefits of H.266, enabling them to consume higher quality HD video streams with significantly less data consumption. With H.266, MX Player users will be able to stream more content with less data and network bandwidth - video streams will load faster and buffer less since they require only half (or less) the data it would need otherwise. H.266/VVC is the world’s most advanced video codec designed to succeed H.264/AVC and H.265/HEVC used by most of the streaming video services worldwide today. Unlike its competitors, the H.266 upgrade makes MX Player the first OTT platform in the world to deploy this technology. <div type="image" title="image" msid="83537290" hostid="261"></div> <keyword id="1005666" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Karan-Bedi">Karan Bedi</keyword>, CEO, MX Player and MX TakaTak said, “Video consumption dominates internet usage wherever you go across India, but the quality of experience deteriorates in areas with inconsistent data networks. The new standard is an opportunity for MX Player to give millions of users, regardless of where they are, an exceptional streaming experience that allows them to consume content the way content creators intended: faster loading, buffering-free, and true-to-life HD quality.” Sidd Mantri, SVP Product, MX Player further added, “At MX Player, the future is now. We relentlessly focus on raising the customer experience bar for Indian users. We were amongst the 1st few OTTs to deploy AV1 that reduced data consumption by 20-30% compared to H.265. With H.266, we are taking it to the next level. H.266 offers the most advanced video compression standard available in the world and reduces data usage by more than 50%. Many users in India live on daily data consumption caps, so with H.266 they can watch more as well as watch better on MX Player.”

MX Player cuts down video streaming data consumption by half; upgrades its video encoding and compression technology to H.266

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

<keyword id="2214311" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="mx-player" source="Orion">MX Player</keyword>’s latest original series is a hit with audiences – <keyword id="12555597" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="matsya-kaand" source="Orion">Matsya Kaand</keyword> has been winning hearts since its launch on 18th November, and there’s another reason for the cast to celebrate as this con thriller has now crossed 100 million views and counting on the platform. The show features stellar performances from <keyword id="12798251" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ravii-dubey" source="Orion">Ravii Dubey</keyword>, who makes a debut as a con artist in this fast-paced web-series and Ravi Kishan as a cunning, ruthless cop who engages with this genius conman in a thrilling cat and mouse chase. The series, which holds a 9.4/10 rating on IMDb also stars Piyush Mishra, <keyword id="1273210" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zoya-afroz" source="Orion">Zoya Afroz</keyword>, <keyword id="1164097" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="madhur-mittal" source="Orion">Madhur Mittal</keyword>, Rajesh Sharma and Naved Aslam amongst others in key roles and is directed by Ajay Bhuyan. Elaborating on the success of the series, Gautam Talwar, chief content officer at <a href="https://www.mxplayer.in/">MX Player</a> said, “At MX, we strive to bring to Indian audiences fresh, intriguing narratives that break away from the routine. The success of an unconventional con thriller like Matsya Kaand crossing 100 million views is testimony to the hard work and efforts of multiple teams – be it the writer/director/actors/production or our internal teams at MX Player. It's great to end the year on such a high and we look forward to continuing this streak in the New Year with many other compelling stories.” Celebrating his birthday and acknowledging the success of his webseries, Ravii Dubey said, “From trying a new genre, to exploring a new medium and donning so many avatars to perfect this one character has been a delightful journey; the response to Matsya as a character is just so overwhelming that I am humbled. With this MX Original Series crossing 100 million views – I truly couldn’t have asked for a better birthday gift and this has been the perfect end to this year. It feels great to know our piece of love and hard work has reached millions. It has been a wonderful experience working with the team and I am glad it has found a massive place in the hearts of the viewers.” Ravi Kishan further added saying, “As a team, we gave this project a 100 percent and I am so happy to see it win all this adulation from across the country. I’m glad we were able to strike a chord with the audiences. The 100 million views is not just a figure to me but a fruit of our hard work and the immense love that people have shown for our series.” Filled with action, comedy, thrill, and the glamour factor, the show is an entertainment potboiler. For those who have missed it, you can watch the show for FREE exclusively on<a href="https://www.mxplayer.in/show/watch-matsya-kaand/season-1/abhimanyu-online-4c9e751c38858add4663cb188585b835?utm_source=Fb_social&amp;utm_medium=SocialPlatforms&amp;utm_campaign=MatsyaKaand_ep1"> MX Player</a>. Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post in partnership with MXPlayer. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/used-car-selling-platform-spinny-to-hire-over-5000-people-by-the-end-of-2022/articleshow/88454003.cms">Used car selling platform Spinny to hire over 5,000 people by the end of 2022</a>

MX Player’s latest thriller Matsya Kaand is a big hit among the audience as it crosses 100 million views

<ul><li><keyword id="9555198" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="MX-TakaTak">MX TakaTak</keyword>'s MY Home is an influencer collaborative space that will host India’s top <keyword id="2893283" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="content-creators">content creators</keyword>.</li><li>This initiative will see 15 new influencers come together every week.</li></ul>Short video apps have paved the way for millions of young content creators to grow into digital superstars. With its vision of nurturing such budding talent, leading short format video app MX TakaTak not only aims at giving young creators a platform to showcase their talent, but is also empowering them to make better content with the launch of MX TakaTak My Home. This first of its kind initiative in India is a content creator collective that will see some of the country’s finest talent come together week on week, to collaborate and help each other amass more followers. Designed for productivity, My Home is a month-long activity that will see a fresh churn of content creation every day, with a dedicated team giving the KOLs all the professional support/assistance they require. Spread across entertainment hubs - Mumbai and Delhi, these 2 luxurious homes will host 15 audience favorites every week and these talented digital enthusiasts will be given the opportunity to innovate and create cool content. Elaborating on the same, Janhavi Parikh, Business Head, MX TakaTak said, “My Home has been devised to offer our content creators an equal opportunity for growth. The doors of this house will be open for those creators who are passionate about their craft, who are consistent with their videos and those who want to pioneer change in digital content consumption. This house is about creating a collaborative environment that encourages our digital enthusiasts to produce compelling content to entertain India.” Faizal Siddiqui, who has entered the Delhi MY HOME said, “The concept of creating an engaging environment for creators to join forces and make fun content is a great thought, opportunities like these give rise to the greatest digital stars." Influencer Rizwan also added saying, "The MX TakaTak team makes sure that we have everything we might need to create the best videos we can. The quality of content automatically improves and we’re able to put our best foot forward for our fans.” Wish Rathod, yet another creator on the platform said, “Creating a space like this is a very international concept and it’s great that MX TakaTak is doing so much to give creators like us a once in a lifetime chance such as this. You get to meet like-minded people, discuss ideas, ideologies and grow creatively, and that’s what I am looking forward to.” Oye Indori further added saying, “MX TakaTak is truly THE platform to be on – they put their creators first. As an influencer, I’d like my fellow peers to be a part of these collaborative initiatives, it is an opportunity to learn more about creating awesome videos and gives you a chance to understand this space better. ” Some of the influencers who are a part of My Home Delhi include Oye Indori, Sofia Ansari, Wish Rathod, Mahira Khan, Deepak Joshi, Vishal Bhatt and Mihir Gupta amongst others.

MX TakaTak launches a collaborative space for influencers to create content under one roof

<ul><li>Netflix is the most popular streaming service to watch Korean dramas and movies.</li><li>But there are other apps like Prime Video and Viki where you can watch Korean content.</li><li>You can also watch Korean dramas and movies dubbed in Hindi and other Indian languages.</li></ul>It’s no secret that Indians love <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/amazon-prime-video-to-take-on-netflix-with-10-new-k-dramas/articleshow/87869220.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Korean dramas and movies</a> especially since the start of the pandemic last year. According to Netflix, K-Drama viewership in India increased more than 370% in 2020 from 2019. The K-Drama and K-Movie craze actually started around a decade back in the northeastern states of India during the days of CDs and DVDs. But now there are so many platforms where you can easily watch the latest Korean content. Netflix is the most popular streaming service for Korean movies and drama in India. But there are other apps and services available where you can watch Korean content. If you’re bored or looking for some new Korean content then you can try out these streaming services. Amazon Prime Video Amazon Prime Video is the latest entrant in this segment. It recently started streaming Korean dramas including popular ones like True Beauty, The Penthouse, and Mr. Queen. There are new and old Korean dramas that you can watch on Prime Video, and some of which aren’t available on Netflix. Prime Video is available with Amazon Prime membership priced at ₹179 per month, and ₹1,499 per year. Viki Viki is a popular streaming service for not just Korean dramas but Asian dramas and movies in general. If you want to watch the latest Korean dramas then Viki is one of the best apps you’ll get. The app is available for free but with ads. You can also subscribe to Viki at ₹299 per month or ₹3,099 per year. MX Player MX Player is another great destination for Korean dramas and it also offers dubbed audio in Hindi and regional languages Tamil and Telugu. MX Player streams over 50 Korean dramas including Pinocchio, Heirs, Kill Me Heal Me, The Penthouse and more. MX Player is also available as an ad-based free service or you can get it for ₹199 per year. IQIYI IQIYI is primarily for Chinese dramas and shows but it also streams Korean dramas. You can also watch popular anime like Jujutsu Kaisen and Haikyu on IQIYI. The app has a lot of content to stream and popular Korean dramas. You can watch shows for free with ads or subscribe to IQIYI starting at ₹159 per month. SEE ALSO: <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="73666376" title="How to restore deleted contacts on Android" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Where to watch Korean dramas and movies in India

<ul><li><keyword id="149966" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="IAMAI">IAMAI</keyword> has announced the adoption of a comprehensive implementation toolkit in furtherance to the Universal Self-Regulation Code for Online Curated Content Providers.</li><li>The Code has been adopted by seventeen (17) leading Online Curated Content Providers in India. </li><li>The present set of signatories include <keyword id="6245082" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="ZEE5">ZEE5</keyword>, Viacom 18 (Voot), Disney+ Hotstar, <keyword id="2976376" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Prime-Video">Amazon Prime Video</keyword>, <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword>, SonyLiv, <keyword id="2214311" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mx-player">MX Player</keyword>, Jio Cinema, Eros Now, Alt Balaji, Arre, HoiChoi, Hungama, Shemaroo, Discovery Plus, Aha and Lionsgate Play. </li><li>The Tool Kit is effective from 10 February 2021.</li></ul>The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has announced the adoption of a comprehensive Implementation Toolkit (Tool Kit) which is in furtherance to the Universal Self-Regulation Code ('Code') for Online Curated Content Providers (OCCP) that was put in motion on September 4, 2020. The core purpose of this Tool Kit is to provide for procedures to effectuate the various provisions of the Code; assist the signatories in fulfilling their commitments and responsibilities as set out in the Code; and to achieve effective self-regulation goals as envisioned by the signatories in the Code. Importantly, the effort of the Signatories, through this Tool Kit, is to also address feedback received from Ministry of Information and Broadcasting inter-alia, on the issues of conflict of interest and prohibited content. The Code has been adopted by seventeen (17) leading Online Curated Content Providers in India. The present set of signatories include ZEE5, Viacom 18 (Voot), Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, SonyLiv, MX Player, Jio Cinema, Eros Now, Alt Balaji, Arre, HoiChoi, Hungama, Shemaroo, Discovery Plus, Aha and Lionsgate Play. The Tool Kit is effective from 10 February 2021. The all-inclusive 'Implementation Toolkit' will assist signatories in seamless transition to self-regulation and guide them on various dimensions like: Relevant laws of the land which will be adhered to by the signatories: <ul><li>Fair and transparent functioning of the grievance redressal mechanism, with escalation to an Advisory Panel with independent members</li><li>Training programs for creative and legal teams of OCCPs to enhance the knowledge and nuances of laws that govern content</li><li>Awareness programs for consumers to help increase understanding and use of age rating, content descriptor &amp; parental controls</li><li>Implementation of a detailed audit and compliance mechanism</li></ul> Amit Goenka, Chair, Digital Entertainment Committee, IAMAI said, “The Universal Self-Regulation Code, which is signed by the Country’s top video streaming services marks a watershed moment in the history of the online streaming industry. Today, with the adoption of ‘Implementation Toolkit’, it further strengthens our (OCCPs) commitment to augment consumer empowerment and creative excellence for the Indian entertainment industry to grow multifold. This Tool Kit amplifies all the critical points that were addressed in the Code signed last year and aims to address feedback received from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, particularly on strengthening the grievance redressal mechanism. It further sets out clear tentpoles that the OCCPs need to undertake to achieve a common goal of entertaining millions of Indians responsibly.” Furthermore, IAMAI will constitute first of its kind ‘IAMAI Secretariat for the Code’ comprising of representatives of the signatories to the Code and IAMAI which will administer the implementation of the Code and the Toolkit. IAMAI aims to develop a process to seek periodic updates from the Signatories regarding their progress with respect to compliance with the provisions of the Code.

Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, MX Player along with 13 other OTT players sign up for IAMAI's new implementation toolkit

<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

<ul><li>After the comeback of epics such as Ramayan and Mahabharat, there is a huge demand for classics. Riding on the nostalgia wave, <keyword id="2810265" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott-players">OTT players</keyword> are also using their old content. </li><li>For the first time in history, to overcome the restrictions and market their content in the best way possible, OTT players have tied up with TV channels to push their content. </li></ul>After Doordarshan brought back its two epics, Ramayan and Mahabharat, Star TV and Sony followed the trend and is taking us back to the golden era by rerunning some old shows like Sarabhai VS Sarabhai, Khichdi, CID, and Aahat respectively. Now owing to the fact that production has been stalled till the lockdown is lifted, OTT platforms are taking a similar route. While ShemarooMe is premiering Bollywood movies every Friday, it has also seen a huge jump in people watching classic movies. “There is a lot of experimentation happening right now -- the audience is actually going back and watching blockbuster movies from the past such as Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron or older shows like Nukkad. And it’s been consumed by the younger generation too. So, that's opening up a new set of content for a new set of audience who have not been exposed to it till now. And that's sort of interesting for us as a platform to wait and watch,” shares Rahul Mishra, Head Marketing and Communications, Shemaroo Entertainment. <keyword id="4241922" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ALTBalaji">ALTBalaji</keyword>, on the other hand, which already has a huge library of content, is also considering bringing back a few of its classic, much-loved serials. Moreover they are also in talks with other platforms for content syndications, to broaden their content offering. “We are utilising this time to do business syndications, we did one with ZEE. We are also utilising our vast content library and queuing up our originals ready,” said Divya Dixit, SVP, Marketing, Analytics &amp; Direct Revenue, ALTBalaji. <keyword id="7444876" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Discovery-Plus">Discovery Plus</keyword> is also leveraging its global partnerships to help consumers stay indoors and stream the outdoors. To stay relevant in today’s environment, they have lined up COVID-19 documentaries. “Discovery has a lot of content that hasn’t been exposed to Indian audience. We have a strong global library to sustain for a long period of time. For us, it’s a mix of marquee specials, global library and partnership content. We already had a couple of pieces ready on Coronavirus, we are trying to stay relevant as we can,” said Issac John, Business Head – Digital (South Asia), Discovery. Moreover, with gaming seeing a spike across the world, platforms like <keyword id="2214311" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mx-player">MX Player</keyword>, that had recently introduced gaming on its platform, has an edge as people are on the lookout for different modes of entertainment. “We introduced gaming about 8-10 weeks back and in the last five weeks, it has seen a 4X surge in engagement. And we are using that inventory available on our platform to cross promote our own shows. In terms of the number of games played by one user and the time spent by that user on the gaming tab is actually something that we didn't expect and we are actually using that to cross promote our own shows,” said Abhishek Joshi, Head of Marketing and Business Partnerships, MX Player. He also shared that MX Player has recently inked a content deal with Sony Pictures Television and Paramount. “We are the first Indian AVOD platform to have struck such a deal with an international studio.” Tough times are pushing marketers to come up with creative ways to sell their content. Disney+ Hotstar original series Hostages is now airing on Disney-owned TV channel Star Plus. For the first time in history, OTT content is broadcasted on a TV channel. ALTBalaji has also partnered with ZEEL to broadcast its originals such as Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain, Baarish, Karrle Tu Bhi Mohabbat. Joshi says, “While this integration has happened at an unfortunate time, it will help the OTT players embark on a collaborative journey rather than an either-or strategy, which we have always been speaking about.”

OTT players bank on content archives and work on content syndication to meet the rising demand due to the COVID-19 lockdown

<ul><li>As we enter a new year, we wanted to understand what to expect from the Over-the-top (<keyword id="1245953" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ott" source="Orion">OTT</keyword>) industry in 2022.</li><li>In today's feature, we speak to industry experts who share their thoughts on what this year has in store for us.</li></ul>After 2020 we had hoped that 2021 would bring us some respite from the pandemic. However, things were challenging for a large part of the year. With many of us stuck within the four walls of our house for the most part of the year, OTT platforms sometimes became the only source of entertainment in our lives. Not only did 2021 see the launch of a lot of big-budget originals on various OTT platforms, a lot of movies like Sardar Udham Singh, Mimi and Shershaah launched on these platforms. Content producing companies put their best foot forward and created award-winning shows that won both commercial and critical acclaim. There has been a visible increase in investments in content production, a trend that is here to stay in 2022 as well. A recent joint report by industry body CII and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) stated that the Indian OTT sector is currently in the scaling stage with strong subscription growth and high investment in premium as well as original content. The Indian OTT sector is one of the most competitive amongst emerging markets with over 40 players. While there have been debates about more and more people moving away from TV, Mandeep Kohli, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group India states that we are still some time away from that happening at a large scale in India. “The share of traditional media is slowly declining with increased digital adoption but there is still high headroom for penetration with only 54% of Indian households having a pay TV connection compared to more than 70% in China. For many households, TV continues to be the center of the home and a significant part of family time,” said Kohli, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group India. The report further stated that the industry is at a scaling stage currently and has the potential to become a $13-15 billion industry by 2030. To understand what the new year has in store for us, we spoke to a few of the most important voices from India’s OTT industry, along with some of the biggest content production houses. Here is what they had to say about what lies ahead: Manish Kalra, Chief Business Officer, <keyword id="6245082" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zee5" source="Orion">ZEE5</keyword> India The already-growing online media and entertainment business received a major boost with the black swan event that the Covid-19 pandemic was, setting a new growth trajectory in the last year. The audience adopted a more digitally advanced way of entertainment, something that went beyond the conventional mediums, leading to mass adoption of OTT platforms which resulted in a surge in both viewership and watch-time. This pandemic-induced growth in demand for quality content led to an increased focus on storytelling across languages leading to the creation of extensive and expansive content libraries. People also became more open to sampling diverse content from different languages and were keener to opt for the living room experience thanks to the increased adoption of connected devices. This growth of the connected devices ecosystem has made OTT a preferred choice not only for personal but also for family consumption. At ZEE5, we have seen a 3X growth in the viewership on connected devices. The rise in power-packed dynamic storytelling and the rise of connected devices has led to the advent of the ‘Home Box Office’ which is a trend that is here to stay. While we grew 200% this year at the back of an aggressive slate of content line-up and hyper-personalization, we aim to make deeper inroads into Indian homes going into 2022. Sameer Nair, CEO, <keyword id="1322450" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="applause-entertainment" source="Orion">Applause Entertainment</keyword> <div type="image" title="IMG_8153 (1)" msid="88694220" hostid="261"></div> I believe the biggest emerging trend for the streaming industry in 2022 and beyond is the increasing flattening of the Earth, with both geographical borders and language barriers breaking down as internet connectivity reaches the remotest audiences. Our audiences, both local and global, have become smarter, more perceptive and way more critical; this requires us as Content Creators and Distributors to significantly improve the quality of our storytelling, of our productions and of the consumer experience we offer. Authentic, rooted stories that have a universal appeal can and will breakout to reach audiences globally. The more we collaborate with talent from diverse cultures and geographies, the richer we will become as storytellers. The ‘One Planet One Species Shared Cultures’ is an idea whose time is truly upon us. Divya Dixit, SVP, Marketing &amp; Revenue, <keyword id="4241922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="altbalaji" source="Orion">ALTBalaji</keyword> With the traditional marketing budgets on a decline and digital and influencer marketing taking center stage, there are many trends, however interrelated, that we will see emerging in 2022. The digital audiovisual industry will explode; according to Bain and Company, India's online video user base has increased to more than 350 million people, growing 24% in the last three years. Influencer marketing will rapidly move to include micro-influencers and not just be dependent on Celebrity influencers, thereby also promoting UGC. Video marketing, live streaming will give rise to Social commerce and tier 2 and 3 cities will claim the growth chart curve. With all these interrelated events/trends triggering off, Users will expect personalized experiences which will be offset by deeper integration of ML, which will give rise to AI usage; however, the world of marketers will also see a more focused emerging curve towards Organic retention – CRM, surveys, retention tools, recommendation cycles, SEO, UI/UX as Google continues the stance of stopping 3rd party cookies by end of 2023. Manjit Sachdev- Head – Originals, Voot and Voot Select, Viacom18 Digital Ventures <div type="image" title="Manjit Sachdev _Head Content at VOOT AND VOOT Select" msid="88694240" hostid="261"></div> After an unprecedented 2020, with an acceleration in the growth of OTT platforms, 2021 was a year for creating milestones in curating unique and enthralling stories for the audience. Now as we step into 2022 with hope and resilience, the OTT sector will witness an increase in the demand for personalized and purpose-driven content. Given the increasing competition in the OTT space, staying relevant and purposeful is most critical. Considering the changing realities in today's times, having a purpose-driven story telling approach is the way to go. Content with purpose has the power to travel beyond boundaries, spread values, knowledge and positivity and build deeper engagement with subscribers. This trend will act as a key differentiator in changing behaviours. Megha Tata, Managing Director, South Asia, Discovery, Inc As SVOD continues to grow aggressively, we are seeing an increasing number of audiences now willing to pay for good content. I believe a right combination of compelling content and pricing would be the key in attracting a bigger share of consumers into the SVOD world next year. Also, differentiated programming will add to a player’s competitive advantage in the midst of most mainstream players offering similar content. This is a trend familiar to what we saw even broadcast channels go through. I believe some players will be able to carve out a niche for themselves, while most streaming catalogs will end up resembling each other. Rishi Negi, COO, Banijay Asia 2020 was a game changer for the whole world, we strategized a smooth transition to the streaming era and the year 2021 was about sustaining the positive change and envisioning the prospects of growth. With changing narratives and experimental content taking a lead, along with the fact that the data &amp; streaming charges have dropped, has resulted in the content reaching a much bigger audience. I anticipate the year 2022 to be vibrant with original productions, compelling storytelling and some path-breaking performances. Fighting the content inflation with a wide variety of exceptional chronicles intertwined with existing catalog shows in this post-pandemic world, viewers are streaming more than ever. With nominal data plan and streaming charges, content is reaching even the darkest corner of the world. Considering the pace of content transmission, at Banijay Asia, we have become more aggressive towards producing content that delights the heartland of India. We see a hike in demand for stories which are untold, female centric and with CTV on the rise, we anticipate growing interest in regional unscripted content in 2022. While we have seen this trend kickstart already with our Tamil unscripted show The Survivors as it received unparalleled response from the audience and our hinterland drama Matsya Kaand recently crossed a 100M views on <keyword id="2214311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mx-player" source="Orion">MX Player</keyword> within a month. These numbers affirm that the trendsmap that we're following leads to a sustainable future. Given these past two years have been a real tester, we have pushed through every possible challenge posed by the virus this year and successfully produced shows for the streaming giants and kept the show running. While we have covered grounds with our scripted, non-scripted, international format adaptation, book adaptations, in the upcoming year, we aim to keep up with our pace and keep reinventing our ways. To sum it up, we are thoroughly looking forward to 2022 to be a year full of exciting and enthralling projects to keep our audiences engaged and invested. Rohit Jain, Managing Director, <keyword id="193261" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lionsgate" source="Orion">Lionsgate</keyword> South Asia and Networks, Emerging Markets Asia 2022 is going to be an exciting year for OTT players as the content pipeline will be stronger than ever. While the pandemic has leapfrogged growth in terms of viewers and subscription we expect 2022 to further amplify the reach and will witness growth not only in the metros but also in tier II &amp; tier III cities. Today’s viewers are constantly looking for edgy and unique stories. We have always said premium content is the ultimate winner. The OTT industry will have to concentrate on quality content over quantity of content. Siddhartha Roy, COO, Hungama Digital Media The media and entertainment industry has been making rapid strides in the interior of India. Regional markets are becoming the industry’s point of convergence as the digital infrastructure expands across the length and breadth of the country. Content houses and creators are going vocal through local, thereby, making homegrown, high-quality content available at the click of a button. Going further, consumption of entertainment, in addition to audio and video, will be extended to varied mediums, such as gaming. As the Indian online gaming sector is witnessing tremendous growth in 2020 it sets a tone that gaming will be the next big thing. The industry will witness a rapid rise in the use of AI and ML to create a customised and personalised experience for audiences. This makes industry consumer friendly; not just that, it helps in massive consumption and double consumer engagement. Hiren Gada, CEO-Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd <div type="image" title="Hiren Gada, CEO, Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd." msid="88726664" hostid="261"></div> With regional internet penetration growing at a rapid pace, localization of content and OTT apps are going to be one of the emerging trends to look out for. Content that was earlier restricted to just Bollywood and Hollywood is getting extended to other native languages and it is going to play a key role in attracting new consumers and in supporting other industries such as dubbing and subtitling that will further boost the content bank. Other than localization, we will also see content being offered across other segments that include devotional, and kids’ categories. As we see new OTT apps being launched almost every month with multiple paying models, the consumers will have more flexibility and power to make their own choices. With increased smartphone adoption along with affordable data, mobile penetration of the OTT will see more focus. Mobile-centric plans have been introduced by most OTTs today to cater to the Millennials and GenZs who have the hunger to consume content but not the deep pockets to pay. This space will continue to grow with the increased bundling of OTT by telecos. Additionally, the arrival of 5G which is most likely to take off this year will be a game-changer not just for the OTTs but also for the consumers. It will enable faster connectivity, accessibility to content and further enhance the viewing experience with reduced buffering issues, and an uninterrupted real-time streaming experience. Shailesh Kapoor, The Founder &amp; CEO, Ormax Media The last two years have been exceptional for the OTT market in India, aided in no small measure by the lockdowns. As things begin to get back to normal, the question that we will hear a lot more in 2022 is: Where is the next level of OTT growth in India going to come from? The category has grown at an estimated 30-35% in its user base and more than 50% in paid subscriptions over the last two years. But these growth rates are not sustainable in the long run. Platforms will have to look for offerings that are both compelling and distinctive, to get new subscribers in a category that will continue to grow, but at more modest levels of 15-20% per annum. Crossover content, be it Indian (such as Jai Bhim) or foreign (such as Squid Game or Money Heist), will play an important role in this regard. The language barrier has been broken considerably by the OTT medium, and with dubbing and subtitles available in many languages for all major shows and films now, platforms cannot stick to single-language, homogenous offerings anymore. We can expect more language-led experimentation, both in content acquisition and presentation."

Where the Indian OTT industry is headed in 2022

<ul><li>Only one out of the <keyword id="6074821" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="top-ten-apps">top ten apps</keyword> is from India.</li><li>New smartphone users are driving the growth in app downloads in India.</li><li>Social media <keyword id="6354741" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Apps">apps</keyword> dominate the list of top ten apps downloaded in India.</li></ul>Not only is the Indian smartphone market setting new records when it comes to smartphone sales, it is also setting records when it comes to app downloads. Indian users have downloaded over 4.8 billion apps in the first quarter of 2019, beating US which came in second with 3 billion downloads. According to a report by app intelligence company Sensor Tower, Indian smartphone users downloaded 29% more new apps in the first quarter of 2019 year-on-year. Apps from countries like the US and China dominated the downloads – nine out of ten apps in the list are owned by companies from these two countries. The availability of affordable 4G smartphones and cheap 4ZG data helped India surge in terms of app downloads. According to <a href="https://sensortower.com/">Sensor Tower</a>’s head of mobile insights, Randy Nelson, the first major uptick in app downloads was seen in 2016, coinciding with Reliance <keyword id="2003276" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jio">Jio</keyword>’s launch of 4G LTE services. Elaborating on this, Nelson said, “The growth in app installs we’re tracking in India is closely tied to the growth in new smartphone owners there, particularly Android users. Since the growth is closely tied to new smartphone users — that will be the largest factor in its stability.” Top ten most <keyword id="8470803" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="downloaded-apps-in-india">downloaded apps in India</keyword> According to a report from app intelligence agency App Annie, nine out of the top ten apps downloaded in India are created by international players. Of these, four are owned by US companies and five by Chinese companies. Indian apps Hotstar and MX Player missed out on the top ten list. While Hotstar managed to cross the 100 million downloads number, MX Player came in close with 98 million. 
	<div type="Slideshow" msid="72977234" hostid="261" title="Top ten most downloaded apps in India" firstImageMsid="72977558" slideCount="10"></div>



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