iWorld
Hotstar to air Barun Sobti’s ‘Tanhaiyaan’ in Jan
MUMBAI: Actor Barun Sobti is all set to make a comeback, but this time in a web series. Star India’s video-on-demand (VOD) service is all geared up to air a fiction web series, titled Tanhaiyan. The 10 episodic show with a duration of 20 minutes each will launch in the mid-week of January 2017.
The show is produced by Gul Khan and Karishma Jain of Unit 7 Network for 4 Lions Films, the web series is directed by Gorky M.
In the show, Sobti plays the role of Haider, while the other lead Surbhi Jyoti will be seen playing the role of Meera Kapoor. Kapoor is in love with Haider, who is seen flirting with girls.
Khan said, “Someone once asked me what’s the why of Tanhayian.. Well there isn’t a person who hasn’t experienced the loss of a loved one.. And every time we lose someone it changes who we are….So here are two people who are dealing with that loss in their own different way.. But sometimes someone walks right into that loneliness and Phir aap tanhayion mein bhi Tanha nahi rehte… Tanhaiyaan is a tribute to that magic…”
Hotstar entered into the original content production with a talk show hosted by RJ Malishka called M Bole Toh. It also aired a 20 episodic news comedy series On Air with AIB with 10 in English and 10 in Hindi. The streaming platform is also rumoured to bring the second season of the show soon.
It had also brought back its popular TV fiction show Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon as a Hotstar Original after a gap of three years.
Being a first mover in the space, it today boasts about 75 million downloads from the mobile nation India – far far ahead of the 30 odd OTT platforms which have popped up. Hotstar offers a smorgasbord of programs: right from India’s favorite sport cricket to 650 shows from its 23 channels, 36 English TV shows, 70 Hollywood movies, and oodles of Hindi cinema as well. The 85,000 hours of content it can stream is available in eight Indian languages.
Primarily a free and advertising-dependent service, the Star Network has poured in an estimated $60-70 million to bring it to the place it has so far.
iWorld
Prime Video unveils biggest India originals slate yet
Nearly 55 titles across languages signal deeper push into films, series
MUMBAI: Prime Video is turning up the volume on Indian storytelling, unveiling its largest-ever Originals slate at the ‘Prime Video Presents’ showcase, with close to 55 series and films spanning languages, genres and formats.
The new lineup, which stretches across Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, signals a clear intent: go bigger, go wider, and meet audiences wherever they are watching, whether on streaming screens or in cinemas. Alongside Originals, the platform also announced a fresh theatrical slate under Amazon MGM Studios, marking a deeper step into the big-screen business.
Among the headline acts is The Revolutionaries, a large-scale drama from Nikkhil Advani starring Bhuvan Bam and Rohit Saraf. The slate also features Matka King with Vijay Varma, Raakh starring Ali Fazal and Sonali Bendre, and Lukkhe, which marks rapper King’s acting debut. Adding a genre twist is Vansh – The Kalyug Warriors, positioned as India’s first homegrown Hindi superhero series for streaming.
Familiar favourites are also making a return, with new seasons of Farzi, Panchayat, Call Me Bae, Dupahiya, Dahaad and The Traitors in the pipeline, reinforcing the platform’s bet on established franchises.
Regional storytelling gets a notable push. Highlights include a Telugu adaptation of The Traitors hosted by Teja Sajja, the drama Guvvala Cheruvu Ghat, and Tamil titles such as Exam and returning seasons of Vadhandhi and Inspector Rishi.
The slate also opens new creative partnerships. Hrithik Roshan’s HRX Films steps into streaming with Storm and Mess, while Alia Bhatt’s Eternal Sunshine Productions backs Don’t Be Shy. Production houses including Excel Entertainment, Tiger Baby Films and The Viral Fever further deepen the creative bench.
On the theatrical front, the platform is lining up five films, including Raftaar starring Rajkummar Rao and Keerthy Suresh, VIBE directed by Kunal Kemmu, Dilkashi with music by A. R. Rahman, Nayyi Navelli featuring Yami Gautam, and Kuku Ki Kundli starring Wamiqa Gabbi.
According to Prime Video India director and head of Svod business Shilangi Mukherji, India remains central to the platform’s global growth, ranking among its top markets for new subscribers. She noted that nearly two-thirds of users watch content in more than four languages, underlining a growing appetite for diverse storytelling.
Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok, said the new slate reflects a continued push towards bold, culturally rooted narratives with global appeal.
In short, Prime Video is not just adding titles, it is widening the lens. From small-town dramas to superhero sagas and cinema-ready spectacles, the message is simple: more stories, more voices, and far more ways to watch them.
