iWorld
Balaji slices daily drama with launch of Kutingg OTT app
MUMBAI: Balaji Telefilms has thrown a sharp new cut into India’s crowded streaming market. On 19 January, the entertainment heavyweight launched Kutingg, its own OTT platform built around a simple but ambitious promise: “Entertainment ka dose har roz.”
And this is not just a slogan. Kutingg has been programmed like a modern-day TV channel for the scrolling age, offering something new every single day of the week.
From Monday to Thursday, viewers get daily episodic family dramas, Balaji’s comfort zone and calling card, served in tightly written, finite arcs rather than never ending sagas. Fridays are reserved for binge lovers, with crime thrillers, mysteries and comedies released in compact parts. Saturdays bring micro dramas, one minute episodes designed for watching on the move. Sundays slow things down with non fiction, including celebrity led chat shows.
In short, if entertainment has a flavour, Kutingg wants it all on one plate.
The pricing strategy is just as pointed. A one rupee trial lets viewers sample vertical only content, converting to Rs 199 a month. Those wanting the full spread can opt for a Rs 99 weekly trial before settling into the same monthly price for complete access.
The launch slate mixes drama, romance, crime and conversation, with titles including Missing Priya, Mujhe Tu Chahiye, Jaffna Hills, Saas Bahu Aur Swaad, Ghar Tera Mera, ACP Vikrant and the chat show Honestly, Why Not? with MNL.
Explaining the thinking behind the platform, Balaji Telefilms group chief revenue officer Nitin Burman, said Kutingg was born from a simple question: why should viewers download yet another app? His answer was to make Kutingg a single destination for everything audiences already enjoy across multiple platforms.
Balaji’s legacy, he noted, lies in long form television storytelling. Kutingg trims that legacy into limited, contemporary formats while retaining the emotional pull that made the company a household name. “From Monday to Sunday, you will get a new piece of content every day,” Burman said, calling it a habit forming experience rather than a sporadic binge.
Micro dramas, once dismissed as a passing fad, are a key pillar of the strategy. Burman described them as one of the fastest growing segments in entertainment, and confirmed that Balaji is now among the largest producers in the space.
For Balaji Telefilms content head Meghna Joshi, the launch is both exciting and nerve wracking. “Balaji is a huge legacy,” she admitted, adding that Kutingg represents an effort to cater to the entire country, not just a niche urban audience.
Joshi describes the app as a digital channel in spirit, blending daily soaps, binge shows, micro dramas and non fiction in one place. The intent, she says, is to respect the Indian audience’s long standing habit of watching something new every day, while also acknowledging evolving tastes and formats.
She points to Saas Bahu Aur Swaad as an example of how Balaji’s drama has matured. Relatable, grounded and reflective of changing family dynamics, it swaps exaggerated theatrics for emotional truth.
Looking ahead, Joshi is keen to explore new genres, particularly stories that blend human struggle with spiritual reflection. Regional content is also on the horizon, especially in micro dramas, where language and local flavour can make an instant connection.
For Balaji’s loyal viewers, the reassurance is clear. The drama is not going anywhere. It is simply being sliced into smarter, shorter and more contemporary servings.
With Kutingg, Balaji is betting that in an age of endless choice, consistency might just be the sharpest hook of all.
