At a time when cricket is driving record subscriber growth for Mukesh Ambani’s JioHotstar, Jeff Bezos’ Amazon Prime Video India remains confident that a scalable and sustainable subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) business can thrive in the country purely on the strength of entertainment content, without relying on cricket.
“The notion that a scalable streaming business can’t be built without live sports is simply not true. It can be done, we’re doing it,” said Gaurav Gandhi, Vice President of APAC and MENA at Amazon Prime Video, in an interview with ET.
Prime Video India holds the digital streaming rights for New Zealand Cricket in India until the 2025–26 season. However, it has largely stayed away from major cricket rights auctions since then, including the high-profile bidding for the Indian Premier League. Internationally, Prime Video has acquired the rights to stream International Cricket Council (ICC) events in Australia besides NBA in the US and Premier League matches in the UK.
“We evaluate sports opportunities in every country, including India. Each time, we assess what feels right at that moment and decide accordingly. Right now, we're very happy with how we're building our entertainment business through Prime Video in India, but we continue to evaluate all options,” Gandhi said, without ruling out potential bids for cricket rights in future.
Beyond Streaming: Building an Entertainment Ecosystem
Prime Video has evolved into a broader entertainment platform, spanning subscriptions, movie rentals, and aggregation of third-party OTT apps. Its ad-supported service, Amazon MX Player, now ranks as India’s second-largest AVOD platform, after YouTube.
“We’ve always aimed to be an entertainment hub, not just a streaming service,” Gandhi said. “Prime offers a multi-benefit experience that includes shopping, shipping, music and video. On the streaming side, our mix of subscriptions, rentals, and add-on channels helps us serve customers better and expand content choices. Many platforms seen as competitors are actually our partners. Apple TV, for instance, was recently added to Prime Video Channels.”
With Media Partners Asia estimating Prime Video's paid subscriber base in India at 21 million, the platform continues to see steady growth. Nearly 25% of its viewers over the past year were entirely new users, indicating deeper penetration in smaller towns and cities.
Going Local, Thinking Global
Prime Video entered India in 2016, guided by two core insights: a gap in high-quality, long-form original storytelling and an untapped opportunity to embrace India’s linguistic diversity. While TV remained centred on national programming and cinema exhibition was largely urban, Prime Video leaned into regional markets.
Today, it licenses movies in 10 Indian languages and brings films to the platform shortly after theatrical release, including titles like Stree 2, Kalki 2898 AD, Raayan, Vettaiyan, Kuberaa, and Singham Again.
“This approach helped us not only reach wider audiences but also expand the total addressable market for content and creators,” Gandhi noted.
Prime Video’s localisation strategy has also helped Indian content travel across linguistic and international boundaries. Currently, more than 60% of its viewers watch content in four or more languages, and the service now reaches 99% of Indian pin codes. It ranks among Prime Video’s top three global markets by viewing hours and is among its most engaged audience base globally.
Building Local IP from the Ground Up
According to Gandhi, the company quickly realised that building long-term brand affinity in India would require local originals. That meant building the creative ecosystem, introducing writers’ rooms, prioritising scripts over star power, and onboarding international consultants to mentor emerging talent.
Today, Prime Video’s originals span universal themes such as empowerment (Khauf), rediscovering identity (Panchayat, Dupahiya, Gram Chikitsalay), and stories for premium audiences.
So far, the platform has launched over 110 Indian originals, including more than 70 scripted series.
“More than 60% of these have been renewed for additional seasons, which is an impressive figure by any industry standard,” said Nikhil Madhok, Head of Originals at Prime Video India.
Franchises like Mirzapur, The Family Man, Paatal Lok, and Panchayat have become cultural touchpoints. Newer titles like The Traitors and Dupahiya are helping broaden the platform’s appeal. Viewership for the latest seasons of flagship series is nearly 3 to 4 times higher than their first, indicating strong audience stickiness.
Films, Formats, and the Theatrical Push
On the film front, Prime Video has evolved from licensing to co-productions, and now to original theatrical releases under the Amazon MGM Studios banner.
“We’ve built a slate that gives us the confidence to release four to six films in theatres annually, starting in 2026,” said Madhok. “Some projects will be large-scale, others more modest, but the focus remains on strong scripts, not star-driven spectacles.”
A theatrical Mirzapur film is also in development. This will be the first time an Indian OTT original IP transitions to cinema. “Mirzapur has grown so popular over three seasons that the next installment will be a feature film,” Madhok said.
Coexistence, Not Competition
Prime Video sees theatrical and streaming releases as complementary, not competitive. While theatrical releases generate cultural momentum, streaming extends shelf life and reach.
“The theatrical window is important. While some films may still go straight to streaming, many will hit theatres first and then come to the platform,” he said.
His remarks counter the view that streaming undermines theatrical attendance. This was a concern during the pandemic, when many films skipped cinemas entirely. Today, however, the industry is reverting to the eight-week theatrical window.
“Streaming hasn’t weakened cinema. It has revitalised the broader film ecosystem by unlocking capital, widening reach, and fostering inclusion,” Gandhi said.
Expanding Access and Monetisation
Prime Video is also innovating on pricing and ad models. As of June 17, its content in India began featuring limited ads. An ad-free upgrade is available at ₹699 annually or ₹129 per month.
“This isn’t about subscription pressure,” Gandhi clarified. “It’s about expanding access and enabling deeper investment in content.”
India has become Prime Video’s leading market outside the US for new Prime memberships.
“Prime Video India has consistently topped all international markets in terms of new Prime customer additions,” said Shilangi Mukherji, Head of SVOD Business, Prime Video India.
Maintaining 99% pin code coverage, she noted, is harder than achieving it. This is especially true in a market where churn is a constant challenge. One of Gandhi’s clear goals for the team was reaching full national coverage.
Commerce, Community, and Cultural Impact
Beyond video, Amazon is building subtle commerce integrations. Shows like Bandish Bandits link to musical instruments, Made in Heaven connects to fashion, and Panchayat ties in with Amazon Fresh. “It’s about creating meaningful, natural connections, not force-fitting the experience,” said Mukherji.
As connected TV adoption rises, so does co-viewing. Titles like Family Man, Panchayat, and Dupahiya are built for family audiences, with personal profiles ensuring a customised experience.
Some critics claim OTT is becoming indistinguishable from TV, with its volume-driven fiction, reality shows, and talk formats. Madhok disagrees. “What still sets OTT apart is the depth of storytelling, production quality, and personalisation. We design for individual profiles and also cater to families,” he said.
Sonal Kabi, Head of Marketing for Prime Video India, said that social engagement is a key indicator of success. “We now have the largest social following in the category. The Traitors, for instance, has generated over 1 billion views and 500 million interactions beyond our social channels,” she said.
She cited Call Me Bae as another example. Following its release, Google referenced elements like “Behen Code” in an ad campaign, reflecting the show's cultural visibility.
“The notion that a scalable streaming business can’t be built without live sports is simply not true. It can be done, we’re doing it,” said Gaurav Gandhi, Vice President of APAC and MENA at Amazon Prime Video, in an interview with ET.
Prime Video India holds the digital streaming rights for New Zealand Cricket in India until the 2025–26 season. However, it has largely stayed away from major cricket rights auctions since then, including the high-profile bidding for the Indian Premier League. Internationally, Prime Video has acquired the rights to stream International Cricket Council (ICC) events in Australia besides NBA in the US and Premier League matches in the UK.
“We evaluate sports opportunities in every country, including India. Each time, we assess what feels right at that moment and decide accordingly. Right now, we're very happy with how we're building our entertainment business through Prime Video in India, but we continue to evaluate all options,” Gandhi said, without ruling out potential bids for cricket rights in future.
Beyond Streaming: Building an Entertainment Ecosystem
Prime Video has evolved into a broader entertainment platform, spanning subscriptions, movie rentals, and aggregation of third-party OTT apps. Its ad-supported service, Amazon MX Player, now ranks as India’s second-largest AVOD platform, after YouTube.
“We’ve always aimed to be an entertainment hub, not just a streaming service,” Gandhi said. “Prime offers a multi-benefit experience that includes shopping, shipping, music and video. On the streaming side, our mix of subscriptions, rentals, and add-on channels helps us serve customers better and expand content choices. Many platforms seen as competitors are actually our partners. Apple TV, for instance, was recently added to Prime Video Channels.”
With Media Partners Asia estimating Prime Video's paid subscriber base in India at 21 million, the platform continues to see steady growth. Nearly 25% of its viewers over the past year were entirely new users, indicating deeper penetration in smaller towns and cities.
Going Local, Thinking Global
Prime Video entered India in 2016, guided by two core insights: a gap in high-quality, long-form original storytelling and an untapped opportunity to embrace India’s linguistic diversity. While TV remained centred on national programming and cinema exhibition was largely urban, Prime Video leaned into regional markets.
Today, it licenses movies in 10 Indian languages and brings films to the platform shortly after theatrical release, including titles like Stree 2, Kalki 2898 AD, Raayan, Vettaiyan, Kuberaa, and Singham Again.
“This approach helped us not only reach wider audiences but also expand the total addressable market for content and creators,” Gandhi noted.
Prime Video’s localisation strategy has also helped Indian content travel across linguistic and international boundaries. Currently, more than 60% of its viewers watch content in four or more languages, and the service now reaches 99% of Indian pin codes. It ranks among Prime Video’s top three global markets by viewing hours and is among its most engaged audience base globally.
Building Local IP from the Ground Up
According to Gandhi, the company quickly realised that building long-term brand affinity in India would require local originals. That meant building the creative ecosystem, introducing writers’ rooms, prioritising scripts over star power, and onboarding international consultants to mentor emerging talent.
Today, Prime Video’s originals span universal themes such as empowerment (Khauf), rediscovering identity (Panchayat, Dupahiya, Gram Chikitsalay), and stories for premium audiences.
So far, the platform has launched over 110 Indian originals, including more than 70 scripted series.
“More than 60% of these have been renewed for additional seasons, which is an impressive figure by any industry standard,” said Nikhil Madhok, Head of Originals at Prime Video India.
Franchises like Mirzapur, The Family Man, Paatal Lok, and Panchayat have become cultural touchpoints. Newer titles like The Traitors and Dupahiya are helping broaden the platform’s appeal. Viewership for the latest seasons of flagship series is nearly 3 to 4 times higher than their first, indicating strong audience stickiness.
Films, Formats, and the Theatrical Push
On the film front, Prime Video has evolved from licensing to co-productions, and now to original theatrical releases under the Amazon MGM Studios banner.
“We’ve built a slate that gives us the confidence to release four to six films in theatres annually, starting in 2026,” said Madhok. “Some projects will be large-scale, others more modest, but the focus remains on strong scripts, not star-driven spectacles.”
A theatrical Mirzapur film is also in development. This will be the first time an Indian OTT original IP transitions to cinema. “Mirzapur has grown so popular over three seasons that the next installment will be a feature film,” Madhok said.
Coexistence, Not Competition
Prime Video sees theatrical and streaming releases as complementary, not competitive. While theatrical releases generate cultural momentum, streaming extends shelf life and reach.
“The theatrical window is important. While some films may still go straight to streaming, many will hit theatres first and then come to the platform,” he said.
His remarks counter the view that streaming undermines theatrical attendance. This was a concern during the pandemic, when many films skipped cinemas entirely. Today, however, the industry is reverting to the eight-week theatrical window.
“Streaming hasn’t weakened cinema. It has revitalised the broader film ecosystem by unlocking capital, widening reach, and fostering inclusion,” Gandhi said.
Expanding Access and Monetisation
Prime Video is also innovating on pricing and ad models. As of June 17, its content in India began featuring limited ads. An ad-free upgrade is available at ₹699 annually or ₹129 per month.
“This isn’t about subscription pressure,” Gandhi clarified. “It’s about expanding access and enabling deeper investment in content.”
India has become Prime Video’s leading market outside the US for new Prime memberships.
“Prime Video India has consistently topped all international markets in terms of new Prime customer additions,” said Shilangi Mukherji, Head of SVOD Business, Prime Video India.
Maintaining 99% pin code coverage, she noted, is harder than achieving it. This is especially true in a market where churn is a constant challenge. One of Gandhi’s clear goals for the team was reaching full national coverage.
Commerce, Community, and Cultural Impact
Beyond video, Amazon is building subtle commerce integrations. Shows like Bandish Bandits link to musical instruments, Made in Heaven connects to fashion, and Panchayat ties in with Amazon Fresh. “It’s about creating meaningful, natural connections, not force-fitting the experience,” said Mukherji.
As connected TV adoption rises, so does co-viewing. Titles like Family Man, Panchayat, and Dupahiya are built for family audiences, with personal profiles ensuring a customised experience.
Some critics claim OTT is becoming indistinguishable from TV, with its volume-driven fiction, reality shows, and talk formats. Madhok disagrees. “What still sets OTT apart is the depth of storytelling, production quality, and personalisation. We design for individual profiles and also cater to families,” he said.
Sonal Kabi, Head of Marketing for Prime Video India, said that social engagement is a key indicator of success. “We now have the largest social following in the category. The Traitors, for instance, has generated over 1 billion views and 500 million interactions beyond our social channels,” she said.
She cited Call Me Bae as another example. Following its release, Google referenced elements like “Behen Code” in an ad campaign, reflecting the show's cultural visibility.
You may also like
Doctor Who could get unlikely star as fans call on BAFTA winner to be given a chance
Foot-tapping first single 'Vibe Undi' from actor Teja Sajja's 'Mirai' released
Lionel Messi is very upset with MLS over draconian ban, says Jorge Mas
MPPGCL Recruitment 2025: Apply for 346 Vacancies Including Assistant Engineer, Medical Officer from Today
PM Modi's 'friendship' with President Trump proving to be hollow: Congress
