iWorld
Clean OTT to launch world’s first female-focused global streaming platform
Mumbai: Entertainment entrepreneur Karnesh Ssharma on Tuesday announced the launch of Clean OTT, the world’s only female oriented original-content streaming platform scheduled for the first quarter of 2023.
India based Karnesh, who recently announced a $54 million content deal with Amazon Prime and Netflix for his production company Clean Slate Filmz, will set new benchmark in the Indian entertainment industry by providing a roster of cut-through content placing female actors, directors and producers at its heart and givingIndia, the world’s largest film export, a central role to play in challenging global gender stereotypes, said the statement.
Clean OTT will be driven by an annual subscription SVOD model and will initially launch in India before expanding to markets such as the UK, USA, Canada, and the UAE – all of which celebrate a significant diaspora community. The content, though frequently localised in its production, is strategically chosen to have a resonance with worldwide audiences,demonstrating the popularity of local stories internationally and how such narratives are transient in nature, it added.
“i have always believed in the power of storytelling to move hearts and minds and I am conscious of the responsibility that entertainment platforms have in producing and promoting stories that do not endorse bias,” said Karnesh Ssharma. “For centuries patriarchy has governed storytelling, and as a man, I have always felt men play an equal part in shifting the narrative, conversation, and power shifts. When the voices of women are heard it teaches us new perspectives which, as an audience and filmmaker, are just as compelling and interesting.”
Speaking about the importance of market segmentation for its content strategy, Karnesh added, “We believe there is a unique opportunity to expand content. For example, women make up 50% of viewership in India yet most of the content is male focused or represents women in a secondary fashion. We are confident the Clean OTT narratives will appeal to everyone as we provide a platform free of prejudice. This will give women a voice that can be enjoyed by any demographic around the world and for those who are part of our productions, a path for career progression.”
The Clean OTT content will comprise international and regional projects across films, web series, and docu-series. The company will include originally curated and produced works by Clean and pre-selected projects that meet the Clean OTT messaging framework by other producers from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. The library will showcase the credentials of an experienced team of directors, scriptwriters, actors, and producers associated with Clean Slate Filmz, as well as giving rise to emerging talent, the statement said.
Clean OTT will be available across web platforms, mobile apps, subscription platforms and other content aggregators around the world.
iWorld
T20 World Cup ’26: India–England semi-final sets global streaming record of 619 million views on JioHotstar
India–England semi-final records 65.2 million peak streams
MUMBAI: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 set a new milestone in global sports streaming, as the India–England semi-final drew record digital audiences on JioHotstar.
The match on 5 March registered 65.2 million peak concurrent viewers, the highest ever recorded for a live event on any streaming platform worldwide. The semi-final also generated 619 million views, making it the most streamed T20 international match in history.
The landmark audience numbers were driven largely by viewers in India, setting a record achieved within a single market, rather than through aggregated viewership across multiple countries.
The high-scoring encounter between India national cricket team and England cricket team produced 499 runs across both innings, fuelling widespread fan engagement across platforms.
According to the International Cricket Council, the digital record surpassed the previous global benchmark of 65 million concurrent viewers, set in November 2024 by another international streaming platform.
Across television and digital platforms combined, the semi-final reached more than 320 million viewers, while total watch time exceeded 23 billion minutes, making it the most watched T20 international match ever.
“This World Cup demonstrates the immense passion of cricket fans and the progress made in bringing the game closer to audiences worldwide,” said ICC chairman Jay Shah.
“This moment reflects the scale of cricket fandom in India and the technological capability required to serve hundreds of millions of viewers simultaneously.”
JioStar vice-chairman Uday Shankar, said the audience surge underscored the future of large-scale digital entertainment.
“One in every three Indians tuned in to watch the second semi-final. Delivering such an experience at scale requires the very best of technology,” he said.
The 619 million views during the match also eclipsed the 533 million views recorded during the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
With the final yet to be played, the 2026 tournament has already set multiple benchmarks in audience reach and digital engagement.
India will face the New Zealand national cricket team in the final on 8 March at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar.
