Indian diaspora offers overseas growth opportunity for local OTTs

Indian viewers overseas prefer deeply rooted narratives, older Bollywood and regional language classic movies

- Lata Jha

Local video streaming platforms focused on regional languages and niche target audiences are increasingly getting a substantial chunk of their revenue from overseas Indian viewers, in some cases up to 40%.

Not only do these users in countries including the US, the UK, Canada and Malaysia have the ability to pay for subscriptions, they also relate deeply to stories that resonate with their cultural identities.

Platform executives said Indian viewers overseas have a strong preference for deeply rooted narratives, especially those centered on rural life and cultural traditions, while older Bollywood and regional language classic movies also remain a big draw.