Why family-oriented content is the next growth driver for OTTs in India

The Great Indian Kapil Sharma, CID, Crime Patrol and WWE are on Netflix; cricket is on JioStar; and the latest Hindi movies are on Amazon Prime. The Indian OTT content landscape is undergoing a shift. Once characterised by personal, on-the-go viewing and a demand for edgy and niche content, it is now evolving to cater to broader, more inclusive audiences.While platforms continue to release web series to woo urban audiences, they are strategically introducing more inclusive TV and family-friendly content to reach a wider audience.Keerat Grewal, Head: Business Development (Streaming, TV & Brands), Ormax Media, in a conversation with afaqs! states that, smaller cities, too, are embracing connected TV setups, signalling the rise of appointment-style, collective viewing reminiscent of traditional television.She says OTT players are increasingly experimenting with formats and genres that cater to a wider demographic—content that can be enjoyed by families sitting together in their living rooms.“We’re seeing a reversion to the television model. This means longer-format TV+ content with inclusive storytelling that appeals across age and gender.”Non-sports live entertainmentGrewal also says that she sees big potential with non-sports live entertainment on OTT platforms. “While live sports, particularly cricket, continue to be a massive draw, there’s a growing appetite for non-sports live entertainment on streaming platforms. Netflix’s experiments with live comedy specials, award shows, and even WWE events have shown that audiences are willing to tune in for shared, real-time experiences.”She says these formats cater directly to the goal of increasing co-viewing and replicating the communal feel of television. They also allow platforms to diversify beyond sports, especially as acquiring premium sports rights becomes increasingly expensive.'Views alone are no longer enough'According to Grewal, the experimentation with various monetisation strategies by OTT platforms is leading to a transformation in the KPIs for OTT content.“Views alone are no longer enough. Engagement, watch time, and “potency” (the ability of a show to drive subscriptions) are becoming more critical. She says time spent and active reach will matter more than just passive impressions,” says Kiran. “We’re moving into an era where content has to deliver both reach and depth.”Ormax Media, Grewal says, plays a crucial role in this evolving ecosystem. She says that through proprietary tools like Ormax Stream Track and Ormax Power Rating, the company helps platforms evaluate content potential, track marketing effectiveness, and understand consumer preferences.A particularly innovative metric is "potency", which gauges a piece of content’s ability to drive new subscriptions and provides valuable insights in a market where subscriber growth is no longer guaranteed.“With every piece of content tested, we’re learning more about the changing Indian audience,” says Kiran. “That intelligence is critical to staying ahead in such a fast-moving space.”Grewal says that with connected TV adoption on the rise and AVoD models gaining traction, the next wave of success for streaming platforms will come from embracing TV-like content, regional storytelling, and data-backed strategies.

The Great Indian Kapil Sharma , CID , Crime Patrol and WWE are on Netflix; cricket is on JioStar; and the latest Hindi movies are on Amazon Prime. The Indian OTT content landscape is undergoing a shift. Once characterised by personal, on-the-go viewing and a demand for edgy and niche content, it is now evolving to cater to broader, more inclusive audiences.

While platforms continue to release web series to woo urban audiences, they are strategically introducing more inclusive TV and family-friendly content to reach a wider audience. Keerat Grewal, Head: Business Development (Streaming, TV & Brands), Ormax Media, in a conversation with afaqs! states that, smaller cities, too, are embracing connected TV setups, signalling the rise of appointment-style, collective viewing reminiscent of traditional television. She says OTT players are increasingly experimenting with formats and genres that cater to a wider demographic—content that can be enjoyed by families sitting together in their living rooms.

“We’re seeing a reversion to the television model. This means longer-format TV+ content with inclusive storytelling that appeals across age and gender.” Non-sports live entertainment Grewal also says that she sees big potential with non-sports live entertainment on OTT platforms.

“While live sports, particularly cricket, continue to be a massive draw, there’s a growing appetite for non-sports live entertainment on streaming platforms. Netflix’s experiments with live comedy specials, award shows, and even WWE events have shown that audiences are willing to tune in for shared, real-time experiences.” She says these formats cater directly to the goal of increasing co-viewing and replicating the communal feel of television.

They also allow platforms to diversify beyond sports, especially as acquiring premium sports rights becomes increasingly expensive. 'Views alone are no longer enough' According to Grewal, the experimentation with various monetisation strategies by OTT platforms is leading to a transformation in the KPIs for OTT content. “Views alone are no longer enough.

Engagement, watch time, and “potency” (the ability of a show to drive subscriptions) are becoming more critical. She says time spent and active reach will matter more than just passive impressions,” says Kiran. “We’re moving into an era where content has to deliver both reach and depth.

” Ormax Media, Grewal says, plays a crucial role in this evolving ecosystem. She says that through proprietary tools like Ormax Stream Track and Ormax Power Rating, the company helps platforms evaluate content potential, track marketing effectiveness, and understand consumer preferences. A particularly innovative metric is "potency", which gauges a piece of content’s ability to drive new subscriptions and provides valuable insights in a market where subscriber growth is no longer guaranteed.

“With every piece of content tested, we’re learning more about the changing Indian audience,” says Kiran. “That intelligence is critical to staying ahead in such a fast-moving space.” Grewal says that with connected TV adoption on the rise and AVoD models gaining traction, the next wave of success for streaming platforms will come from embracing TV-like content, regional storytelling, and data-backed strategies.

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