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FAST rides the Indian wave: Free TV grows up as subscription fatigue hits prime time
MUMBAI: There was a time when the battle for India’s living rooms was fought with a set-top box and a remote. Today, a new wave is washing ashore — lean, free, and impossibly fast.
At the IndianTelevision.com’s 21 Video and Broadband Summit 2025, the panel “FAST Services and the Subscriber: The Way Forward” unpacked how free ad-supported television (FAST) could become the next disruptor in India’s media landscape, pushing past subscription fatigue with a wink and a free pass.
Samsung Electronics director of product services Vivek Mishra chaired a lively session featuring Planetcast COO – digital Venugopal Iyengar, Shemaroo DVP – India digital and international syndication Inderpal Singh, GroupM Nexus head (advanced TV and media solutions) Rajiv Rajagopal, Runn TV founder & CEO Manish Sinha, and Skandha Technologies director growth and business development Anil Kumar. Their consensus was clear: FAST isn’t just a buzzword — it is a full-blown revolution.
Iyengar set the tone, noting that FAST addresses three critical consumer demands: accessibility, affordability, and simplicity. “It reduces cognitive overload. No 1,000 posters. Just click, watch, relax,” he quipped. FAST’s secret sauce? A curated, lean-back experience without subscription paywalls.
Rajagopal put the numbers on the table, “FAST channels in India have exploded from 30–40 in 2021 to over 250 now, and are expected to top 1,000 within three years.” Connected TV ownership is also rising fast — from under 5 per cent before 2020 to 15 per cent today — and expected to surpass 35 per cent by 2030.
Singh pointed out that India’s unique media clutter makes FAST even more necessary. “It’s not just quality platforms. It’s video, social, everything. FAST helps users escape decision fatigue,” he said. With 100 million TV-dark households still untapped, Singh predicted FAST would thrive alongside pay-TV and OTT services rather than replace them.
Sinha brought it back to the user, “Most users don’t even know they’re watching FAST. They see content; they’re happy”. Sinha explained that audiences are appreciating the “click-and-consume” ease of FAST, where content discovery is baked into the platform rather than leaving users to search.
Meanwhile, Kumar noted that the FAST ecosystem still rides largely on repurposed content. “It’s early days — we’re curating special-interest content, but still repurposing more than creating”, he said. Channels focused on genres like short films, poetry, and stand-up comedy are slowly emerging, tailored for highly targeted audiences.
The panel didn’t shy away from the elephant in the room: monetisation. FAST’s ad revenues in India are still modest compared to western benchmarks. Iyengar noted that CPMs in India hover around $3 compared to $12–18 in the west. However, technology enablers like Planetcast are optimising delivery costs by over 50 per cent, making the FAST model increasingly viable.
Caution remains, especially among traditional broadcasters. “Nobody’s making original content exclusively for FAST yet”, Iyengar admitted. “The push factor isn’t as strong here. Subscription TV still costs Rs 250, not Rs 8,000 like in the US.” But with 45 million connected TVs already lighting up Indian homes — and set to touch 60 million by year-end — momentum is building.
FAST may be free to watch, but make no mistake — in India’s great TV revolution, it is playing for keeps.
Swift TV, India’s rapidly growing Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) platform, has partnered with Hoichoi, the leading destination for Bengali and Hindi entertainment, to deliver premium regional content absolutely free.
With 800K+ downloads and 130+ live channels in 12+ languages, Swift TV offers an extensive catalog of movies, shows, and live entertainment. This collaboration brings Hoichoi’s acclaimed Bengali and Hindi originals, movies, and series directly to the Swift TV app, at no extra cost.
A major highlight is the exclusive Hoichoi Live Channels—a first-of-its-kind innovation in FAST streaming. The Bengali Hoichoi Live Channel is available internationally (except India), while the Hindi channel is accessible worldwide, including India. This positions Swift TV as the go-to destination for regional entertainment across India, the US, and Canada.
“We’re thrilled to bring Hoichoi’s exceptional content to our audiences,” said a Swift TV spokesperson. “Our bespoke Hoichoi Live Channels set new benchmarks for free, high-quality regional entertainment.”
For Hoichoi, the partnership opens doors to the FAST ecosystem, expanding its reach beyond SVOD audiences while staying true to its mission of celebrating Bengali narratives.
With top partners like Viacom18, Zee, Pitaara, Republic TV, and Bloomberg Originals, Swift TV continues to strengthen its premium content lineup.
Download the Swift TV app today Swift Tv and enjoy Hoichoi’s world-class Bengali and Hindi entertainment—free, accessible, and tailored for every mood, in your language, on your terms.
