Voot, Viacom 18’s OTT service in India, has commissioned more than 30 original shows across genres. Titles include legal drama “Law and Honour,” drama “Naaz,” romantic drama “Love All,” thriller “The Raikar Case,” drama “Marzi,” and crime thriller “Asura.”
Now three years old, the service claims some 40 million monthly active users, with plans to grow this number to 100 million during the financial year 2019/2020. “The number is set to be achieved through driving scale with content and technology,” Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO and MD, Viacom18, told Variety. “A multitude of initiatives from launching an immersive slate of originals, coupled with technology enablers like interactivity and enhanced distribution will be key drivers.”
Voot has announced more than 20 new distribution partnerships across the travel, broadband and mobile spaces, including ones with Ola, Cloudwalker, ShareIt and Act Fibrenet. Currently operating on the AVOD model, Voot will in addition introduce a ‘freemium’ model, as well as separate international and kids platforms.
The newly launched Voot Studios initiative will enable advertisers to deliver tailored messages embedded into the narratives of various Voot shows. This will be driven by the company’s in-house audience measurement tool MAVARIC, which charts online and purchase behavior, affinities and interests.
Viacom 18 is a joint venture of TV18, the media group controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, and U.S. media conglomerate Viacom Inc.