iWorld
Voot Select hits one mn subscribers within first year of its launch
KOLKATA: Launched with the brand promise of ‘made for stories’ that are differentiated and compelling, Viacom18’s premium SVoD offering Voot Select has hit the landmark milestone of one million active direct paying subscribers in less than a year of its debut. The newest kid on the block has in a short period of time emerged as a formidable game changer by creating disruptive and innovative viewing experiences through fresh stories and category defining initiatives.
Digital first strategies like 24 hours before television windowing of network content, high decibel immersive experiences, international content and multi award winning originals have all been growth drivers for the platform. Adding to the content diversity, Voot Select will also be the new home to Showtime content in India and the exclusive destination for upcoming Paramount+ shows in the country. The diverse repertoire of international content will include much awaited titles such as Dexter (Limited Series), Ray Donavan Feature-Length Film, The First Lady from Showtime, and Frasier (Reboot) and Why Women Kill S2 from Paramount+ amongst others, expected to premiere on the platform in India.
Despite being launched at the cusp of the global health crisis, Voot Select has delivered a phenomenal first year. In an industry first innovation, the brand took their digital-first strategy a step ahead on the back of originals, before TV content and multi genre international offerings. With content available 24 hours before TV, access to 24 Hours Live channel of Bigg Boss and producing pandemic-based fiction thriller series ‘The Gone Game’ – the first series in the category to be shot during the lockdown, Voot Select drove high engagement throughout the year. The award-winning line up of originals like the breakthrough series Asur that emerged amongst the top three shows of 2020, Illegal, Raikar Case, Marzi, and Crackdown amongst others added to the diverse content experience of viewers on the platform.
With strengthened tech partnerships and more than 40 per cent of watch time on smart TVs, the platform has attracted a cohort of premium customers, providing them with an enhanced viewing experience.
Viacom18 Digital Ventures chief operating officer Gourav Rakshit said, “We launched Voot Select to engage and entertain audiences in India, with the most compelling stories from across the world. Despite being a recent entrant in the crowded subscription industry, we're thrilled to have made a mark, being the fastest to a million subscribers and delighting audiences on the back of our unique and innovative approach. Now that we have gotten a better sense of what they loved (and some of the stuff they didn't), we're excited to bring an even bigger and better entertainment extravaganza to their screens in 2021."
Voot Select, Viacom18 international business head Ferzad Palia added, “It has been a phenomenal year for Voot Select. We have, ahead of our estimates, made the fastest run to a million active paying direct to consumer subscribers in the category in less than a year of launch. Our success story through the year has been scripted on the back of a digital first strategy that keeps consumers at its core as well as a multi genre slate of originals and international content experiences. With our upcoming slate of content and partnerships, we aim to build our leadership position as we continue to entertain our members. We have had a fantastic start to this journey and will continue to invest in quality content and enhanced product experience driving Select towards new echelons of growth.”
The platform has accelerated its growth with an enhanced viewing experience and continues to be an industry disruptor. With a stellar growth trajectory and offerings such Bigg Boss being available on the platform before TV, launch of premium content and originals like The Gone Game, Asur, Raikar Case, and the robust multi-genre international slate, the platform is all set to further accelerate its growth with an enhanced viewing experience for its users.
iWorld
Shemaroo buys OHO Gujarati’s entire content library for ShemarooMe
The deal lands over 30 original web series and 450-plus actors on ShemarooMe, with Pratik Gandhi’s Vitthal Teedi leading the charge
MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment has moved fast and moved big. The company has snapped up the entire content library of OHO Gujarati for its streaming platform ShemarooMe, a consolidation that has no precedent in the Gujarati OTT market.
The haul is considerable. More than 30 original Gujarati web series, featuring the work of upwards of 450 local actors, will now sit under ShemarooMe’s roof. For a platform that has spent years quietly building its Gujarati credentials, including originals, curated libraries, and culturally rooted narratives, this is the kind of bulk acquisition that changes the competitive arithmetic overnight.
Saurabh Srivastava, chief operating officer for digital business at Shemaroo Entertainment, made clear the company’s ambitions stretch well beyond the subcontinent. “As we bring the well-established catalogue of OHO Gujarati onto ShemarooMe, our focus remains on making high-quality Gujarati stories more accessible while continuing to invest in compelling content,” he said. “With our strong connection to Gujarati viewers across the world, we believe these stories from the OHO catalogue can travel far and create an exciting entertainment offering for viewers.”
The first title out of the traps will be Vitthal Teedi, which hits ShemarooMe on April 10th. The series stars Pratik Gandhi, a name that needs no introduction to Gujarati audiences, and has the distinction of being the only Gujarati web series he has appeared in to date. Set in the heartland of Saurashtra during the 1980s, it traces a small-time gambler torn between personal ideals and the brutal logic of his circumstances. Character-driven, culturally embedded, and backed by a soundtrack featuring folk artists Aditya Gadhvi, Jigardan Gadhavi, and Geeta Rabari, the show arrives with considerable pedigree.
For Shemaroo, the deal fits neatly into a digital growth playbook built on sustainable expansion and deeper regional engagement. The Gujarati diaspora is large, dispersed, and underserved by mainstream streaming giants. If the company can deliver the goods, the OHO library may prove to be the most valuable land-grab in regional OTT this year.
