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WITH 18 NEW ORIGINAL LAUNCHES AND NEW ASSOCIATIONS ALTBALAJI ENDS 2018 ON A HIGH NOTE
MUMBAI: ALTBalaji, one of the leading OTT platforms under the brand Balaji Telefilms Limited, has witnessed remarkable growth in 2018. With mass engaging content to the most riveting shows, the platform has emerged as the fastest growing and most talked about OTT platform in India. This year saw, the digital platform launch 18 new shows entertaining millions across the country. Awarded as the ITA Premier Web Channel award this year, ALTBalaji established its lead in the pack with the most-binged original series over the year in addition to winning other accolades.
While 2018 was the year of experimentation with highly-acclaimed shows like The Great Indian Dysfunctional Family (TGIDF), The Test Case and Home, ALTBalaji’s subscriber base grew pan-India with viewers enjoying a wide range of shows. Distinctive content in the series like ‘Broken but Beautiful’ and ‘Apharan’ have not only struck the right chords for their coming of age concepts but have also recorded higher viewership and top ratings of 8.8/10 and 9.2/10 on IMDb respectively. Other shows like ‘XXX: Uncensored’ and ‘KehneKoHumsafar Hain’ scored the highest completion rates. On an average, ALTBalaji’s subscribers have spent 77 minutes daily watching these shows. Shows like Home, The Test Case and TGIDF have not only won hearts of the audiences but also garnered rave reviews from the likes of Rajeev Masand, Mayank Shekhar, Rahul Desai and many more.
Here’s are 2018’s top binge watch shows ofALTBalaji:
Apharan: As the show title suggests, it is all about an ‘Apharan’ (kidnapping) that goes wrong. What makes this show a standout is the fact that top cop Rudra Srivastava is forced into kidnapping a girl at her own behest, and nothing goes to plan. He finds himself in a web of lies with a lot at stake. Set in the heartland of the country, the thriller truly enthralled the audience with its 70’s style masala entertainment and its upbeat retro music.
IMDB Rating: 9.2/10
Broken But Beautiful: When two broken hearts, Veer and Sameera are brought together by chance, sparks fly. The two get involved in a journey that requires them to accept how broken they are and how two broken pieces can probably belong together.
IMDB Rating: 8.8/10
The Great Indian Dysfunctional Family: General VikramjeetRanuat looks forward to a quiet life with his family post his accident while serving at the border. However, the re-entry of his separated brother and sister-in-law into his life changes the trajectory of his plans.
IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
The Test Case: Captain Shikha Sharma gears up to serve as the first female test case in combat. The series beautifully captures her struggles and challenges and encapsulates women-power in the true sense of the term.
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
Home: The series is all about a beautiful family, the Sethis, who believe in loving one another dearly. However, they are faced with a mammoth challenge with they are served with an eviction notice. The heart-warming show features a man’s fight to save his own home.
IMDB Rating: 8.5/10
GandiiBaat: The power-packed show has it all – the crime, the twisted relationships and erotic content. The trifecta makes this show a great tale of how crossing the fine line of going to any lengths to fulfill desire comes with its own consequences.
IMDB Rating: 5.0 /10
Haq Se: A modern-day story that chronicles the lives of four sisters against the backdrop of theunrest in Kashmir. It is a tale of the sisters seeking happiness and fulfillment in their lives and wanting to trulyfollow their dreams and passion. This also marked the digital debute of Rajeev Khandelwal.
IMDB Rating: 8.3 /10
Hum: I am because of Us: Nothing compares to you sisters always having your back and that is the bond that the three sisters share. However, their relationship is put to test when the three arrive in the burgeoning metro of Mumbai to live their passion and follow their ambitions.
IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
With an end to a magnificent year, ALTBalaji has a highly anticipated line-up for 2019 across diverse genres with originals like GandiiBaat 2, KehneKoHumsafar Hain 2, Cold Lassi Aur Chicken Masala, Puncchbeat, The Verdict State Vs Nanavati and Cartel. Audiences are surely going to be entertained by a content library that is not only varied but new and captivating as well.
ALTBalaji’s original content is available in four Indian languages which includes Hindi, Tamil, Telegu and Malayalam. Additionally it is also available in Malaysia Bahasa, Indonesia Bahasa and Arabic languages. With several strategic associations, ALTBalaji’s shows can be viewed on Amazon Fire TV stick, OLA Play, LG Smart TVs using WebOS , the MI TV Patchwall in addition to the OTT services’ mobile apps and desktop platform. Viewers can also avail the app on 5 different devices in order to make it enjoyable for the entire family.
iWorld
Netflix cuts jobs in product division amid restructuring
Layoffs hit creative studio unit as leadership and strategy shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: The streaming wars may be fought on screen, but the latest plot twist is unfolding behind the scenes. Netflix has reportedly begun laying off several dozen employees from its product division as part of an internal reorganisation, according to a report by Variety. The cuts are believed to have primarily affected the company’s creative studio unit, which works on marketing assets such as in app trailers, promotional visuals and live experience content for the streaming platform.
The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees impacted.
According to the report, the layoffs were not tied to employee performance. Instead, the restructuring eliminated certain roles while other employees were reassigned to different teams within the organisation.
The roles affected are understood to include designers, producers and creative specialists responsible for marketing and brand experience initiatives.
The job cuts come as Netflix adjusts its leadership structure and reshapes its product and creative teams. Last month, Elizabeth Stone was promoted from chief technology officer to chief product and technology officer, giving her oversight of product, engineering and data operations across the company.
Earlier, in December 2025, Netflix also appointed Martin Rose as head of creative for global brand and partnerships, a move seen as part of a broader restructuring of the company’s brand and product functions.
Despite the layoffs, Netflix remains one of the largest employers in the streaming sector. The company is estimated to employ around 16,000 people globally, with roughly 70 percent of its workforce based in the United States and Canada. In 2023, the company reported approximately 13,000 employees, indicating that its headcount had grown significantly before the latest restructuring.
The workforce changes arrive at a time when Netflix is navigating a shifting financial and strategic landscape in the global entertainment industry.
The streaming giant recently secured $2.8 billion in additional cash after receiving a breakup fee from Paramount Skydance following its withdrawal from a deal involving Warner Bros. Discovery.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Netflix co chief executive Ted Sarandos explained that the company had evaluated multiple scenarios during the negotiations but chose not to match the competing offer once it learned that a higher bid had been submitted.
Netflix had capped its offer at $27.75 per share and ultimately stepped back rather than pursue Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition deal, which included a personal guarantee.
Sarandos also cautioned that the financing structure behind the Paramount Skydance transaction could have ripple effects across the entertainment industry.
According to him, the debt heavy deal could trigger significant cost cutting, with David Ellison, chief executive of Paramount Skydance, expected to eliminate about $16 billion in costs and potentially cut thousands of jobs as part of the integration process.
For Netflix, the current restructuring appears to be part of a broader attempt to streamline operations while continuing to invest in product, technology and global content even as the streaming industry enters a new phase of consolidation and financial discipline.
