iWorld
OTTplay Premium announces collaboration with Stage
Mumbai: OTTplay Premium, India’s premier AI-powered streaming, recommendation, and content discovery platform, is excited to announce a strategic partnership with Stage, the pioneering dialect-based streaming platform. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in delivering diverse and authentic regional content to Indian audiences.
Stage, the world’s first dialect-based streaming platform, boasts an impressive library of over 250 original films and series spanning various genres. With a focus on Haryanvi and Rajasthani dialects, Stage brings forth a unique entertainment experience that resonates deeply with the rich cultural diversity of India.
The partnership between OTTplay Premium and Stage is set to enhance the streaming landscape in India by combining cutting-edge technology and localized content. OTTplay Premium, known for its AI-driven recommendations and content discovery capabilities, will seamlessly integrate Stage’s dialect-based content into its platform, making it easily accessible to a wider audience.
OTTplay CEO & co-founder Avinash Mudaliar commented on the partnership, saying, “We are thrilled to join forces with Stage in our shared mission to bring diverse, regional content to the forefront of India’s streaming industry. This collaboration not only enriches the content offerings on OTTplay Premium but also celebrates the linguistic and cultural diversity of our country. Our AI algorithms will ensure that users discover Stage’s compelling content, creating a personalized and engaging experience for our viewers.”
Stage co-founder & CEO Vinay Singhal expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Dialects in India changes after every 8 kms or so. Up until now people only had Hindi content at their disposal where the cultural values and milieu are missing. Stage makes content for aspiring Bharat and enables them to take pride in their culture and dialect. Partnership with OTTPlay will allow Stage to take its content and mission to a wider set of audiences. “Kyonki Boli Mein Apnapan Hai”
OTTplay Premium and Stage share a common vision of democratizing content access while championing the rich tapestry of regional languages and cultures in India. This partnership aligns perfectly with their shared commitment to offering a diverse and enriching streaming experience for viewers across the country.
As India’s digital entertainment landscape continues to evolve, OTTplay Premium and Stage are excited to be at the forefront of this transformation. Together, they are poised to revolutionize the way Indian audiences engage with regional content, fostering cultural pride and diversity through the power of streaming.
MUMBAI: If cricket were a binge-worthy series, this one just dropped its most explosive pilot yet. The opening weekend of the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League has come out swinging, smashing records across both television and digital platforms and reaffirming the tournament’s unmatched pull in India’s sporting and media landscape.
Backed by two high-octane matches featuring 200-plus run chases, the tournament delivered a combined reach of over 515 million viewers across linear TV and digital platforms via JioStar’s broadcast ecosystem, including Star Sports and JioHotstar. More tellingly, engagement surged alongside reach, with total watch-time hitting 32.6 billion minutes, a sharp 26 per cent jump over the opening weekend of the previous season.
The numbers reveal a deeper shift in how India watches cricket. Connected TV (CTV) consumption rose by 30 per cent, while peak concurrency on digital platforms jumped 61 per cent, signalling a growing appetite for shared, big-screen streaming experiences. On traditional television, the momentum held strong, with TV ratings (TVR) climbing 24 per cent compared to earlier seasons’ opening matches.
A key driver of this spike has been the evolution of the viewing experience itself. This season introduced differentiated feeds, most notably a Hindi CTV broadcast featuring cricketing voices such as Ravichandran Ashwin, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag and Irfan Pathan. Blending expert analysis with a watch-along format, the feed has added a conversational, almost second-screen feel without requiring viewers to leave their screens.
According to JioStar CEO for Sports Ishan Chatterjee, at the opening weekend underscores not just scale but also the depth of engagement that live cricket continues to command. He noted that the combination of large-screen viewing and digital interactivity is creating a more immersive and personalised experience, while also delivering tangible outcomes for brand partners.
From the league’s perspective, the early numbers point to a tournament that continues to reinvent itself. Arun Singh Dhumal, Chairman of the IPL, said the strong start reflects how high-quality cricket paired with enhanced viewing formats is resonating with audiences nationwide, while Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Devajit Saikia highlighted the “quality of engagement” as a key takeaway, not just the scale.
Commercially too, the opening weekend signals robust advertiser confidence. The broadcast is led by co-presenting sponsors including Google (Search AI Mode), Campa Energy, and Havells & Lloyd, alongside co-powered partners such as Birla Opus, Hero Motocorp and Amazon. A long tail of associate sponsors from OpenAI and Asian Paints to Flipkart and Amul further reflects the league’s unmatched ability to aggregate advertiser interest at scale.
Taken together, the opening weekend numbers are less a spike and more a statement. With 515 million viewers, 32.6 billion minutes of watch-time, and double-digit growth across formats, IPL 2026 has not just started strong, it has set the tone for a season that looks poised to push the boundaries of both sport and spectacle.
