Spinning a web: OTT platforms fill the void

Gurnaaz Kaur

Visiting cinemas looks like a distant dream as of now, but there are OTT platforms to fill the void! So, what is worthy of binge-watching? What is being liked by the viewers? Here’s a look at some of the most-watched content on digital platforms…

An increase of a staggering 15.8 million paid subscribers for Netflix was recorded during the lockdown. In a recent report, Reuters revealed that the digital platform’s global total had reached 182.9 million within three months of the pandemic, and people got hooked on to shows like Love is Blind and Money Heist. Today, the figure has increased to 193 million subscribers globally.

Similarly, in its third edition of the report on TV and smartphone consumption, the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) and data analytics firm Nielsen revealed that each user is spending 32 per cent more time watching movies and original series on platforms like Netflix, Hotstar, Amazon Prime, Voot, MX Player Online and Zee5. Some of those popular Indian originals include Sacred Games, She and Special Ops.

It was an opportune time for Disney+Hotstar too, as within days of its launch the digital channel gained over 80 lakh paid subscribers in India. Between March and June, OTT consumption hit the roof. In the BARC-Nielsen report, the top five content for digital audiences has been a mix of fiction, history, mythology and supernatural. Then there was Bigg Boss on Voot, which was most-watched on the platform. The report also stated that consumption of Hindi as a language saw a spike with mythology driving the growth, thanks to the re-runs of classic shows such as Ramayan and Mahabharat.

Number game

Netflix showcased a number of hits in this quarter, including documentary series Tiger King: Murder Mayhem and Madness, reality dating show Love is Blind and reality game show Too Hot To Handle. It even became the number one during the last week of April and sparked a lot of memes on social media.

Talking about Amazon Prime Video, Bosch, an original series based on Michael Connelly’s series of novels, sci-fi saga The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, satirical sitcom Fleabag, Victoria, the British series that chronicles the reign of Queen Victoria and 1950s set comedy Marvelous Mrs. Maisel were the most-watched shows during the three months of lockdown and continue to rule the list. Among the Indian shows on the platform, Made in Heaven, Afsos, Panchayat, Four More Shots Please and The Forgotten Army had millions of views. Recent Bollywood films Chhapaak and Tanhaji on Hotstar; Street Dancer 3D, Contagion and Zombieland Double Tap on Amazon Prime, and Pandemic: How To Prevent An Outbreak on Netflix even now figure among the top-watched films.

Film zone

Other Indian movies that did really well on streaming platforms include Mission Mangal, Chichhore, Angrezi Medium, Housefull 4, Arjun, Good Newzz, Shikara, among others. Regional content is also being streamed across platforms. On Zee5, the platform that registered an 80 per cent rise in subscription, Damaged 2, Kashmakash and previously launched Bar Code were popular.

So, are you ready for a dose of entertainment inside the comfort of your homes?