Indian Stories Take the Spotlight at FICCI Frames 2023

Sushant Sreeram highlights potential of OTT in India's creative ecosystem

During the second day of FICCI Frames 2023, Sushant Sreeram, the country head of Prime Video India, shared insights on the role of OTT in India's storytelling and creative ecosystem. Sreeram emphasized the endless possibilities and excitement for the OTT space in India, which is currently at a pivotal moment in the evolution of the Indian media landscape.

Sreeram discussed the democratisation of Indian entertainment, which has become a unifying force for bringing together different regions and cultures through storytelling. He noted that the power of OTT has revolutionised the way content is created, accessed, and consumed, providing viewers with a diverse range of pan-Indian and global content. According to Sreeram, this democratisation of storytelling has been gratifying to both witness and support.

Heterogeneity of content and vantage point for Indian stories

Sreeram also pointed out that the Indian audience likes a diverse content library in terms of genres, languages, and consumption patterns. He believes that this diversity can be used as a vantage point while pitching an OTT platform to business associates.

Furthermore, Sreeram stated that with the wider canvas and accessibility of OTT, there is an opportunity for storytellers to find an audience for each content. The streaming industry allows for tapping into newer audience cohorts and reaching a wider set of audiences. By partnering with content publishers, OTT platforms can unlock different business opportunities and widen their customer base.

Key areas for growth in India's creative economy

Sreeram listed three key areas that will drive growth in the Indian creative economy space. Firstly, public-private partnerships will play a more pivotal role, such as their partnership with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Secondly, there will be a rise in disruptive collaborations between storytellers across geographical locations and cultures, which will further push creative boundaries. Thirdly, alliances and accessibility are great accelerants to the creative ecosystem through preferred devices, subscriptions, payment instruments, interface languages, collaborations among studios, creators and streaming services.

Indian stories having a global appeal

Finally, Sreeram noted that Indian content is gaining global appeal. While the reach used to come from the Indian diaspora previously, the trend that is on the rise is the popularity of Indian content having a global appeal. Currently, there is a vantage point for investors to cash in on Indian content at its prime.

Sreeram's talk highlighted the potential of OTT in driving India's storytelling and creative ecosystem. The democratisation of Indian entertainment, the heterogeneity of content, and the limitless canvas for storytellers in the OTT space were key points discussed. The three key areas for growth in the Indian creative economy and the global appeal of Indian stories were also highlighted.

Important News Tags and Headlines for Readers

Democratisation of Indian entertainment through OTT

OTT Platforms Power India's Storytelling and Creative Ecosystem

The Democratization of Indian Entertainment: A Unifying Force

Diversity and Access Drive Growth in India's Creative Economy

Indian Content Goes Global: Investors Take Note