iWorld
Youtube cashes in big as ads and subs push revenue past Rs 4,980,000 crore
MUMBAI: When clicks turn into crores, the play button starts to look like a cash register. Youtube crossed Rs 4,980,000 crore in total revenue in 2025, underscoring how advertising, subscriptions and short-form video have turned Google’s video arm into a business that now out-earns many global media giants.
The milestone was confirmed by Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Alphabet, during the company’s earnings call on February 4. The figure includes revenue from YouTube advertising as well as subscriptions such as Youtube Premium, Music Premium and Youtube TV. By comparison, streaming rival Netflix reported revenue of about Rs 3,750,000 crore for 2025.
While Google does not regularly disclose Youtube’s total revenue, the scale of growth is hard to miss. Advertising revenue from Youtube rose 8.7 per cent year on year to Rs 94,000 crore in the fourth quarter of 2025, compared with Rs 86,000 crore in the same period a year earlier. Subscription revenue is reported under Google’s broader subscriptions, platforms and devices segment, which also includes Pixel devices and Google Play. That segment posted Rs 112,000 crore in revenue in the December quarter, up 17.2 per cent from Rs 96,000 crore a year ago.
Pichai said subscription growth on Youtube remains strong, led by Youtube Music Premium, and hinted at fresh ways to widen the funnel. New Youtube TV plans are in the works, with more than ten genre-specific packages aimed at giving viewers greater choice and flexibility. Youtube TV is currently available only in the United States.
Globally, Google now has 325 million paid subscriptions across its consumer services, driven largely by Youtube Premium and Google One. Youtube alone had crossed 125 million subscribers across Music and Premium by March 2025. To keep momentum going, the platform has been experimenting with lower-priced and shared plans. In India, Youtube Premium starts at Rs 89 per month for students, Rs 149 for individuals and Rs 299 for families, while Music Premium plans begin at Rs 59. Prices across tiers were raised by 12 to 58 per cent in August 2024.
Short-form video is also paying off. Google chief business officer Philipp Schindler said Youtube Shorts now averages over 200 billion daily views and is generating more revenue per watch hour than traditional in-stream ads in several markets, including the United States.
Artificial intelligence is becoming another growth lever. More than one million channels used Youtube’s new AI-powered creation tools in a single month, while over 20 million viewers tapped the Gemini-powered Ask feature to learn more about what they were watching. With AI tools expanding and subscriptions scaling, Youtube’s odds-on bet is clear: keep creators centre stage, and let the numbers roll.
iWorld
Prime Video unveils biggest India originals slate yet
Nearly 55 titles across languages signal deeper push into films, series
MUMBAI: Prime Video is turning up the volume on Indian storytelling, unveiling its largest-ever Originals slate at the ‘Prime Video Presents’ showcase, with close to 55 series and films spanning languages, genres and formats.
The new lineup, which stretches across Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, signals a clear intent: go bigger, go wider, and meet audiences wherever they are watching, whether on streaming screens or in cinemas. Alongside Originals, the platform also announced a fresh theatrical slate under Amazon MGM Studios, marking a deeper step into the big-screen business.
Among the headline acts is The Revolutionaries, a large-scale drama from Nikkhil Advani starring Bhuvan Bam and Rohit Saraf. The slate also features Matka King with Vijay Varma, Raakh starring Ali Fazal and Sonali Bendre, and Lukkhe, which marks rapper King’s acting debut. Adding a genre twist is Vansh – The Kalyug Warriors, positioned as India’s first homegrown Hindi superhero series for streaming.
Familiar favourites are also making a return, with new seasons of Farzi, Panchayat, Call Me Bae, Dupahiya, Dahaad and The Traitors in the pipeline, reinforcing the platform’s bet on established franchises.
Regional storytelling gets a notable push. Highlights include a Telugu adaptation of The Traitors hosted by Teja Sajja, the drama Guvvala Cheruvu Ghat, and Tamil titles such as Exam and returning seasons of Vadhandhi and Inspector Rishi.
The slate also opens new creative partnerships. Hrithik Roshan’s HRX Films steps into streaming with Storm and Mess, while Alia Bhatt’s Eternal Sunshine Productions backs Don’t Be Shy. Production houses including Excel Entertainment, Tiger Baby Films and The Viral Fever further deepen the creative bench.
On the theatrical front, the platform is lining up five films, including Raftaar starring Rajkummar Rao and Keerthy Suresh, VIBE directed by Kunal Kemmu, Dilkashi with music by A. R. Rahman, Nayyi Navelli featuring Yami Gautam, and Kuku Ki Kundli starring Wamiqa Gabbi.
According to Prime Video India director and head of Svod business Shilangi Mukherji, India remains central to the platform’s global growth, ranking among its top markets for new subscribers. She noted that nearly two-thirds of users watch content in more than four languages, underlining a growing appetite for diverse storytelling.
Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok, said the new slate reflects a continued push towards bold, culturally rooted narratives with global appeal.
In short, Prime Video is not just adding titles, it is widening the lens. From small-town dramas to superhero sagas and cinema-ready spectacles, the message is simple: more stories, more voices, and far more ways to watch them.
