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OTT aggregation and bundling of services will drive growth: Aamir Mulani
Mumbai: Aamir Mulani Founder & CEO Playbox TV was speaking at Indiantelevision.com’s annual industry event, The Content Hub in Mumbai on Tuesday, in conversation with Associate Editor, Kalpana Ravi. Playbox TV was launched three years back. Basically, the idea was about bringing OTT and live TV into a single platform so that consumers can pay one single subscription to enjoy their television and OTT on a single platform. Till today, we have almost partnered with 26 Plus apps, and we are selling subscription for them. Similarly, we are activating more than 450 plus live TV channels, Mulani said.
“So, for a consumer, it is very simple, the consumer Playbox TV subscription is 30 to 40 per cent cheaper from the market. So that is the benefit for the consumer, other than that content creators. We have an existing distribution platform and Playbox TV is being bundled with 600 plus ISPs in the country and they are bundling this with their broadband connection. Similarly Playbox can get smaller ISPs to bundle OTT subscriptions and content creators and use this as a distribution channel. We are available in all the major pin codes in the country and more than 3.5 Crore pamphlets are getting printed every quarter and this kind of branding can be used to reach out to newer audiences.”
Mulani added on and said, “The subscription is between 399 and 999 and depends on the package a consumer takes. If a consumer has a broadband connection then Playbox TV is free. If you have a 100 Mbps connection and you get six OTT apps and if you have a 200 Mbps connection, you get 14 OTT Apps. OTT is like VAS for the consumer, it is also helping ISP to sell more, because the consumer who is getting a broadband connection for the house is now wanting to watch Prime, or Netflix or any other GEC. A consumer who has been watching only TV is now exposed to broadband, and he no longer wants appointment viewing and does not want to pay different subscription for different platforms. So Playbox becomes very convenient for them. We have partners across India, the reason is we can reach where the bigger Telcos cannot reach to the remotest locations in the country because of the optical fibre dependency. Content creators can use this existing distribution channel to reach out to audiences and also get paid for it.”
Ravi then asked, content producers with say probably few serials or movies can come onto Playbox TV to reach out to a wider audience, Mulani said, “Definitely in the last financial year, we sold almost 1.8 million subscriptions, and these are from a smaller town, ISP and cable operators who never thought they could also sell a broadband connection bundled with OTT. This is a more granular approach, any OTT player can create content. I believe the best part is that we have almost 180 Plus local channels and they are not available on DTH. So for example, a guy who has a small news channel in the interior of Maharashtra once he comes on to our App, then the content is accessible across India. That is the benefit of Playbox.”
“My game plan is very simple. I want to be consistent in what we are doing, and I want to add more and more partners to the network. Presently we have 26 OTT Apps, but soon we will be 200 as new OTT Apps are coming into that deal. Apart from that we are also opening channels for individual creators. So for example, if you create a short film, you can come to the App and with a click of a button, you can create your own OTT App on Playbox TV and put your content and that content will be bundled with the existing ISP and Cable Operators. That is my vision.” said Mulani.
“Today Netflix and Amazon have not yet realised the potential of New India because Bharat lies in Tier 2 & 3 cities of the country and Netflix and Amazon are still figuring out that Tier 1 is their market. But if they come to PlayBox TV their content will be exposed to a larger audience,” concluded Mulani.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
