OTT platforms bet big on regional originals. But is viewership catching up?

Regional Indian languages are increasingly claiming a growing share of OTT investments. Major platforms now allocate nearly 30% of their budgets to non-Hindi content as regional audiences surge and demand for premium storytelling grows.

Entertainment industry experts say that while the budgets for regional content are substantial, they are seen as investments to build the category as a whole and tap into the growing demand for regional content.

However, viewership trends remain chequered, and the return on investment for these productions can be uncertain. Platforms need to carefully consider their content strategies to ensure that they are meeting the needs of their target audience.

According to an Ormax report, the mid-year list of top 50 originals includes Tamil fiction series Suzhal – The Vortex Season 2 (8.3 million), Heart Beat (7 million), Malayalam fiction series Kerala Crime Files Season 2 (6.9 million), Tamil film Test (6.5 million), and Telugu fiction series Devika & Danny (5.2 million).

However, these still pale in comparison to viewership figures for top Hindi originals between January and June like Criminal Justice: A Family Matter (27.7 million) and Ek Badnaam Aashram Season 3 (27.1 million).

Bigger costs

As compared to per-season costs of ₹1-2 crore earlier, regional language web originals are now commanding budgets of ₹5-10 crore in case of bigger platforms. Hindi language shows, however, cost significantly more—upwards of ₹30 crore due to higher budgets due to broader national marketing and talent costs.

However, that gap is narrowing, as regional markets have expanded and the appetite for premium storytelling has surged across the board, said Siju Prabhakaran, chief business officer, ZEE5.

“What we are witnessing, especially in the southern states, is creators pushing the envelope with rooted yet cinematic storytelling, often requiring the same production values as mainstream Hindi shows. The cost dynamics may vary by region, but the creative investment and quality benchmark remain uniform,” Prabhakaran added.

Over 65% of ZEE5’s total viewership now comes from non-Hindi languages. The company budget allocation for a regional show is generally in the range of ₹8-10 crore, according to industry experts.

It is likely that regional language content budgets are lower due to the niche audience and limited geographical reach, Rajat Agrawal, chief operating officer and director of Ultra Media & Entertainment Group pointed out.

“The return on investment (ROI) for these productions can be uncertain, and platforms need to carefully consider their content strategies to ensure that they are meeting the needs of their target audience,” Agrawal added.

The challenges

To be sure, the challenges regarding regional content are twofold — accessibility and relevance. Viewers expect flexible, affordable plans and a user experience in their language. The second challenge is cultural relevance. Each region has its own storytelling grammar, cultural nuances, and star ecosystems.

Charu Malhotra, co-founder and managing director, Primus Partners, a management consultancy firm pointed out that many regional viewers still watch OTT content through shared family accounts or bundled telco offers.

Subscription fatigue is real. Additionally, dubbing quality and recommendation algorithms continue to skew toward Hindi or English, making it more challenging for regional originals to surface organically.

The challenge also lies in reach and education, helping first-time users understand the idea of subscriptions, according to Ujjwal Mahajan, co-founder, Chaupal, a platform specializing in Punjabi, Haryanvi and Bhojpuri content.

These are viewers long used to paying for cable or mobile recharges, so the shift takes time. But once that initial hurdle is crossed, adoption becomes seamless, Mahajan said.

With increasing smartphone and broadband penetration in tier-two or three cities, appetite for mother-tongue content is growing rapidly, said Saurabh Srivastava, chief operating officer, digital business at Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd.

The real shift is in preference; people are actively seeking out regional stories that reflect their culture. Streaming has penetrated regional households faster than many expected, but monetisation and distribution haven’t scaled at the same pace, Srivastava added.

Monetisation outside metros remains a balancing act, with lower average revenue per user (ARPU) and heavy dependence on ad-supported models. Each market brings its own economics, culture, and consumption rhythm.