India’s media and leisure {industry} is witnessing a profound transformation, pushed by a surge in demand for high-quality content material and important investments from each world giants and home gamers. With the world’s largest youth inhabitants, increasing web penetration, and a rising urge for food for culturally resonant tales, the Indian content material market is poised to turn out to be probably the most influential globally.
Uday Shankar, co-founder of Bodhi Tree Programs and former Chairman of Star and Disney India, lately emphasised the immense potential of the Indian content material ecosystem.
Talking at Day 3 of WAVES, he identified that India is on the cusp of a inventive explosion, powered by a convergence of storytelling, expertise, and entrepreneurial ambition.
“India is not only consuming content material; it’s redefining it,” Shankar mentioned, highlighting how the present panorama is ripe for these prepared to take daring bets on content material creation.
He mentioned OTT companies like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, and homegrown gamers reminiscent of JioCinema, Zee5, and SonyLIV have reworked how content material is accessed and consumed. This shift has inspired content material creators and traders to experiment with codecs, genres, and languages, leading to a richer and extra numerous storytelling surroundings.
Investments to scale
In accordance with Shankar, the Indian market’s subsequent part of development will come from scalable, tech-integrated platforms that perceive the nuances of Indian shoppers.
He mentioned, these stakeholders are drawn by the market’s sturdy fundamentals: a younger inhabitants, elevated smartphone utilization, and a booming creator economic system. From short-form video platforms to animation studios and manufacturing homes, a big selection of companies are actually benefiting from capital inflows.
On the coronary heart of this funding development is the assumption that India is not only a consumption market but in addition a content material manufacturing hub for the world. With English proficiency and a deep pool of inventive expertise, India is well-positioned to export tales and codecs that resonate globally.
To speculate Rs 33,000 in content material
“From my very own firm, JioStar now we have half a billion individuals coming to the platform and paying for it.
In 2024, he mentioned they invested Rs 25,000 crores on content material and in 2025 they invested Rs 30,000 crores. Over Rs 32,000 to 33,000 crores is anticipated to be invested in content material he added.
Bodhi Tree Programs, an funding platform launched by Shankar and James Murdoch, he mentioned has already dedicated over $1.7 billion in Viacom18 in partnership with Reliance.
Their focus is on fusing premium content material creation with cutting-edge digital supply, a method rooted in India’s digital-first future.
He provides, as web entry reaches Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India, audiences are searching for content material in their very own languages and rooted of their cultural realities. Platforms are responding with strong pipelines in languages reminiscent of Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, and Bhojpuri, recognising the untapped potential outdoors metro markets.
Nonetheless he mentioned, “As we speak’s Indian viewer is discerning, numerous, and demanding,” Shankar noticed. “Should you don’t supply authenticity and relevance, you’ll lose them.” This has led to an industry-wide realisation that scale alone is not sufficient however understanding the native pulse is equally essential.
Challenges
Regardless of the optimism, he says challenges stay. Monetisation fashions are nonetheless evolving, particularly within the OTT area, the place subscription fatigue and advert income fashions want recalibration.
Moreover, creators face the stress of balancing scale with high quality in an more and more aggressive surroundings.
“India is not only a part of the worldwide content material dialog but it surely’s starting to guide it.” The approaching years will seemingly see the emergence of India-based world content material giants, shaping narratives not only for native audiences, however for the world.”
