iWorld
International dubbed content finds a sizable audience on MX Player
With an increased adoption of OTT services across demographic segments amidst a global pandemic, content consumption today has become an individual activity. International content is reaching audiences across the globe at the click of a fingertip and understanding the growing need/ preferences of the discerning viewer – MX Player, a home-grown OTT platform has curated one of India’s largest catalogues of foreign dubbed content for its wide user base.
Dubbed in local Indian languages, this is a category that MX Player is sharply focusing on and offers viewers a varied palette of entertainment choices that includes – American, Spanish & Latin American, Turkish, Korean, Russian and Ukrainian libraries, all available to binge watch for free. Internal research indicates an equal interest between male and female users towards long-format international content, with audiences of the age 18–24 years showing a higher preference for this content category, followed by the 25-34 years age segment.
International content on MX Player caters not just towards top metros but also across a large footprint within the Tier 1 & 2 towns of the country as well. Viewers from more than 130 towns across India not only watch international content but also actively respond to us via surveys and feedback forms. These users are big on binge behaviour with high stickiness. Our consumption data shows that users watch up to 100 episodes of each show, indicating high commitment levels for the content – effectively proving that even niche content is now able to find a sizable audience on MX Player. There also exists a clear virality element within the user base that watches high engagement content such as this. Our core user base is actively involved in searching for international content outside the app as well. Almost 50% of our international viewers discover international content on social media or because it was recommended by a friend.
Elaborating on the same, Mansi Shrivastav, SVP & Head – Content Acquisition at MX Player said, “The strategy is to identify universal content that has an appeal amongst Indian audiences when offered to them in a language that is relevant to them. Long running family dramas, love stories and romantic comedies are genres that perform extremely well on the platform; it has brought alive our vision to penetrate through newer audiences by breaking down cultural/ language barriers and offering them fresh content from around the world.”
Spanish and Latin American shows are well travelled around the world but have not seen an acute focus in India till date. Changing this narrative, MX Player has inked a deal with Televisa to bring viewers Spanish titles like ‘My Husband’s Family’, ‘Italian Bride’, ‘Along Came Love’ amongst others as well as Caracol TV for shows like ‘River of Passion’ and ‘Marianna and Scarlett’. In an effort to be relevant to the Indian viewer, MX Player also localizes the name of the show as well. These will go live on the platform soon.
Hollywood dubbed content like ‘The Shannara Chronicles’ and ‘Baghdad Central’, Turkish TV shows like ‘Our Story’ and ‘Day Dreamer and Korean dramas have been a major driver in the international category that garners loyal eyeballs. The brand has signed a deal with SBS Content Hub, a leading national South Korean television and radio network for 10+ new shows and are in active conversation with other prominent players in this category. This slate includes shows like VIP, Doctor John, Where Stars Land and amongst others.
iWorld
Banijay Asia’s The 50 tops OTT charts with 8.1 million JioHotstar views
Reality competition becomes most watched show on JioHotstar in debut week.
MUMBAI: Fifty contestants walked into a palace, but millions of viewers showed up for the drama. Reality competition The 50, produced by Banijay Asia, has emerged as the most watched show on JioHotstar, clocking 8.1 million views in its debut week. The figure, reported by Ormax Media, places the show at the top of the OTT viewership charts and marks a strong opening for the digital reality format.
Adapted from a popular French format, The 50 brings together 50 personalities from television, digital platforms, music and reality shows inside a grand palace setting. Over the course of a 50 day competition, participants form alliances, compete in unpredictable tasks and navigate eliminations as the field steadily narrows.
Guiding the game is a mysterious figure known as The Lion, an unseen game master whose voice introduces twists, challenges and strategic turns throughout the show, adding an extra layer of suspense to the contest.
What distinguishes The 50 from typical reality competitions is its audience driven prize structure. Instead of the winner taking home the final reward, the prize is awarded to one of the winner’s registered followers through the show’s dedicated app. The mechanism effectively turns viewers into participants, allowing fans to have a direct stake in the outcome.
The contestant lineup features a mix of television actors, reality stars and digital creators, including Karan Patel, Urvashi Dholakia, Divya Agarwal, Mr Faisu and Dushyant Kukreja, each bringing their own fan following to the show.
With its blend of celebrity personalities, strategic gameplay and interactive viewer participation, The 50 has quickly carved out a strong foothold in India’s digital entertainment landscape. Its 8.1 million views in the opening week underline the growing appetite for large scale reality formats designed specifically for OTT audiences.
