iWorld
Netflix emerges as largest OTT beneficiary during lockdown: report
MUMBAI: With the first phase of the lockdown coming to an end, it has become evident that the over the top (OTT) streaming industry has picked pace. It is, perhaps, one of the few industries that will emerge positively out of the economic impact of this pandemic. Streaming colossal Netflix has emerged as the largest beneficiary among OTTs.
According to a report from KalaGato, which takes into account the lockdown period of 5 February to 29 March, Netflix users have been spending an average of eighty minutes a day on the platform by the time the lockdown was in place. Recently, the streaming service, which is still considered as a premium, has churned out original episodic content as well as digital movies which have gained word of mouth like Jaamtara, Taaj Mahal 1989 and Yeh Ballet.
“Juxtapose this with Hotstar that has experienced a thirty per cent decline in total session time. This could be a result of the different content libraries of the two platforms. Netflix creates the sensation of an endless well of content while Hotstar’s library feels much more limited. Netflix is built for binge-watching while the other feels more point and shoot,” the report added.
In the same period, the open rate of Netflix and MX Player went up by 68 per cent and 18 per cent respectively. Both platforms have seen an increase in daily active users as well. Netflix’s DAU has jumped by 102 per cent whereas MX Player has experienced a 14 per cent spike. Despite a falling open rate, Amazon Prime Video which has recently pushed some of its premium content before the paywall, has gained 83 per cent more DAUs.
On the other hand, the leader in the Indian OTT space has witnessed a fall in both DAUs and open rates by 55 per cent and 43 per cent respectively. The report attributes the weaker performance of Hotstar to the absence of a sporting event, the USP of Hotstar’s popularity. However, the case may change soon with the launch of Disney+ in India as the rebranded Disney+Hotstar service already has around eight million subscribers.
iWorld
Prime Video announces March 13 premiere for Tamil original Local Times with trailer launch
Seven-episode Tamil comedy follows friends saving a fading local newspaper
MUMBAI: Prime Video has set 13 March as the global premiere date for its Tamil original comedy-drama Local Times, releasing a lively trailer that blends newsroom chaos with warmth and friendship.
The seven-episode series unfolds inside a struggling local weekly newspaper battling shrinking relevance in a fast-shifting digital news ecosystem. Developed by Anekdotes and produced by Fanboy Production, the show is directed by Naveen George Thomas and produced by Jithin Thorai.
The story centres on four friends: Veera, Azhagu, Valli and Muthu, who struggle to keep Namma Seidhi, a once-respected regional newspaper owned by Veera’s grandfather, alive. Short on funds but long on stubborn optimism, the group navigates newsroom mishaps, personal clashes and a determined rival intent on shutting them down.
The ensemble cast features Rishikanth, Abdool Lee, Maurish Dass, Adwitha Arumugam, R. Pandiarajan, Chinni Jayanth, Rini and Nandhitha Sreekumar in key roles.
“Local Times is a rooted and emotionally resonant story,” said Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok. While the series unfolds within a small newsroom, he said its themes of friendship and resilience travel well beyond geography.
Producer Jithin Thorai said the team set out to craft a simple, light-hearted story about ordinary people clinging to something they believe in. The local newspaper setting offers a familiar world, he added, but the heart of the series lies in the bond between the four protagonists.
The show is created by Abbhinav Kastura and Praveen Muthurangan alongside Satwik Gade, Thomas Manuel and Visvaksen P. The screenplay is written by Praveen Muthurangan.
Director Naveen George Thomas, making his directorial debut with the series, said the protagonists are flawed but deeply loyal to one another. The humour emerges from their desperation, he noted, while the emotional pull lies in their refusal to abandon each other.
Local Times will premiere in India and across 240 countries and territories, streaming in Tamil with English subtitles exclusively on Prime Video.
