Niche appeal of global series grows in India, but local originals drive major viewership

The viewership may not be comparable to top Indian web shows, but the user base is loyal and discerning with high paying propensity. The second season of Squid Game was the most-watched international series in India last year, with a viewership of 19.6 million, followed by the fourth season of The Boys at 10.5 million, according to media consulting firm Ormax’s report. In comparison, the most watched Hindi language web series was the third season of Mirzapur, with a viewership of 30.8 million.

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“The global shows have a steady viewership built over decades and form the largest volume of programming across our brands and genres. They have a dedicated viewership and continue to attract a significant portion of the audience for the category and help build local programming on the back of that,” said Sai Abishek, head of factual and lifestyle cluster, South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery. 

Meanwhile, the company has recently seen local originals gain a large chunk of viewership due to clutter-breaking concepts and clear audience demand, he said. Local originals also command a much larger share of the marketing expenditure than the global series. “We feel that, in the long term, global originals will continue to bring in the core dedicated audience while the local original tentpoles will expand the genre and bring in more viewers into the category. It forms a bridge to the next generation,” Abishek said.

Betting on international shows

OTTs are betting big on international shows to add variety to their original content at a time when audience fragmentation is challenging due to the availability of multiple entertainment options, said Rajat Agrawal, chief operating officer of Ultra Media & Entertainment Group.

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The demand for international content on OTT is growing since it keeps viewers hooked longer. Though it has a niche but loyal audience, such content performs quite well both in terms of opening and long-term viewership purely because of good word-of-mouth publicity and well-strategized marketing campaigns, Agrawal added.

According to Chandrashekhar Mantha, partner and media and entertainment sector leader at Deloitte India, over 60% of India’s 500 million plus OTT users consume regional or local content, while approximately 40% regularly watch international content. Further, international titles are now dubbed in Hindi to cater to viewers who prefer local languages.

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A steady rise 

Viewership for international content has been steadily increasing, with shows like Money Heist, Stranger Things, and The Crown garnering a loyal fanbase in India, particularly among English-speaking, urban audiences. 

“Acquiring international content often involves licensing fees, which can vary based on exclusivity, region and demand. While these costs might be lower than producing original content, the return on investment depends on viewership metrics. International titles attract viewers, especially among the urban and younger demographics. However, the overarching trend leans towards regional and local content,” said Charu Malhotra, co-founder and managing director of Primus Partners, a management consultancy firm. While international content adds value and variety to the platform’s library, local Indian originals remain the primary drivers of viewership in the Indian OTT market, she emphasized.

To be sure, though, most industry experts see local content as the way forward. Kaushik Das, founder and CEO of AAO NXT, an Odia-language OTT platform, agreed that while international content attracts a niche, loyal, and upscale audience, local Indian originals, especially those rooted in regional narratives, tend to garner higher opening viewership and sustain long-term engagement.

“We believe in the discerning taste of our audience, always seeking meaningful and exciting films that offer diverse perspectives. While there is undeniable excitement for globally acclaimed, award-winning international titles like The Substance, Perfect Days, and Queer, our audience equally values groundbreaking Indian talent, as seen by the love for films like Jaggi, Gamak Ghar, and While We Watched,” said Svetlana Naudiyal, programming director, APAC, MUBI.