Netflix’s Hollywood edge heats up India OTT rivalry

With Netflix recently striking a deal to stream all films produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment globally after their theatrical release—and potentially moving to acquire the massive Warner Bros library—the niche, urban, English-language OTT space in India is bracing for a significant shake-up.

- Lata Jha

With Netflix recently striking a deal to stream all films produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment globally after their theatrical release—and potentially moving to acquire the massive Warner Bros library—the niche, urban, English-language OTT space in India is bracing for a significant shakeup.

As global catalogues consolidate under fewer platforms, industry experts believe these international shifts will fundamentally alter consumer choices in India, forcing rivals like Prime Video and JioHotstar to rethink their strategies for targeting upmarket, premium users. The clustering of global libraries reduces friction for consumers tired of navigating multiple subscriptions.

While Netflix moves toward a dominant position, Prime is fighting back with an “add-on” strategy. It recently onboarded Moviesphere+, a subscription-based platform from Lionsgate that offers heavyweights like The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Mad Men, Borderlands, P.S. I Love You, The Princess Bride and Jackie Brown.