iWorld
ALTBalaji ends 2019 with 4x growth in direct subscriber base
MUMBAI: Subscription-based video streaming platform ALTBalaji has emerged as the fastest-growing over-the-top platform with four-fold growth in the direct subscriber base in 2019.
ALTBalaji has launched 23 originals this year and garnered over 33 million subscriptions to date. It has been one of the top 3 highest-grossing apps with a library of 53 exclusive originals.
ALTBalaji chief executive officer and Balaji Telefilms Group chief operation officer Nachiket Pantvaidya said, “2019 has been a phenomenal year for us both in terms of content and subscribers growth. We have registered 4X growth in our direct subscriber-base and we will clock revenue between Rs 80-100 crore.”
He said, “The aim is to tap the next billion users coming onto the internet by enabling easy and seamless access to the content they want to watch, wherever they want to watch and whenever they want to watch – at no extra cost to the subscriber. On the back of successful 2019, we are hopeful that ALTBalaji will break even in 2020-21.”
ALTBalaji’s will launch 25-30 more shows in the year 2020. Some of the interesting shows for 2020 are already in the pipeline.
Cartel, Apharan 2, Code M, Mentalhood, It happened in Calcutta, Dil Hi Toh Hai S3, Class of 2020, Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain Season 3, Baarish 2, Dev DD 2, Haq Se 2, Virgin Bhaskar 2, Gandii Baat 4 and Mumbhai among many others are some of the originals scheduled for next year.
As OTT platforms are changing the showbiz game, Bollywood and television actors such as Sharman Joshi, Tusshar Kapoor, Mallika Sherawat, Isha Koppikar, Sagarika Ghatge, Rajeev Khandelwal, Divyanka Tripathi, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Karan Singh Grover among others made their grand debut in the web space through ALTBalaji Originals.
ALTBalaji is also working towards strengthening its UI/UX for a seamless experience by focusing on aspects like language interface, voice search, targeted retention strategies, quick onboarding, convenient payment gateways, and tailored recommendations, a press statement said.
Apart from its strong content library, ALTBalaji has also launched some clutter-breaking and tech-driven innovations like ‘Breast Buffer’ to create consumer awareness against Breast Cancer.
Breast Buffer was nominated in Cannes Lions as one of the brilliant uses of technology by media as well as was applauded by subscribers, media, influencers, critics and celebrities alike.
Similarly, the OTT platform also brought its most acclaimed series Apharan to Alexa, enabling users to now listen to dialogues, the trailer, the song and other exclusive content from this cult show.
iWorld
Epic Company launches unified Epic Studio for films and OTT
Vivek Krishnani to head films business; Samar Khan leads OTT & Television.
MUMBAI: Epic just merged its creative superheroes under one cape because when films and OTT need to fight for attention together, you don’t keep them in separate universes. The Epic Company has launched Epic Studio, a next-generation creative and production powerhouse that unites Juggernaut Productions and Movieverse Studio under a single banner. The move creates a streamlined, scalable platform for premium storytelling across theatrical films, OTT originals, television, digital-first formats and branded content.
Vivek Krishnani has been appointed chief executive officer, Epic Studio (Films), overseeing the theatrical and film business with a focus on culturally resonant narratives across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati and Malayalam cinema. Samar Khan continues as chief executive officer, Epic Studio (OTT & Television) and retains his role as chief content officer for Docubay and Epic On.
The Epic Company managing director Aditya Pittie said, “Epic Studio brings together our entire creative ecosystem under one unified studio vision. This is not just an integration of verticals, but the creation of a collaborative environment where writers, filmmakers, creators, and brand partners can seamlessly develop and scale stories across formats and screens.”
Vivek Krishnani added, “We are building an audience-focused mainstream film studio committed to delivering fresh, engaging, and innovative stories for both theatrical and streaming platforms.”
Samar Khan commented, “This alignment allows us to approach storytelling with a unified studio mindset. We are building IP under one creative umbrella, with scale and longevity in mind from inception.”
The unified structure eliminates silos, enabling ideas to flow fluidly from concept to screen while adapting to evolving audience behaviour. Epic Studio positions itself as a creator-led ecosystem championing purposeful, resonant storytelling with commercial strength.
In an entertainment landscape where stories now leap between screens faster than plot twists, Epic isn’t just building a studio, it’s crafting a single launchpad where every tale gets the best shot at soaring across every platform.
