Regional OTT platforms are emerging to serve India's underserved audiences through local-language content. Abhijat Marathi was launched at the Cannes Film Festival 2026 as a dedicated platform for Marathi-language content, targeting the 150 million Marathi speakers globally. According to reports from Mint, celebrities such as Kamal Haasan have advocated for state-backed OTT platforms, including one for Tamil Nadu, while Karnataka has already outlined plans for a regional streaming service. These platforms are not attempting to compete directly with giants such as Netflix or Prime Video, instead focusing on niche audiences and local advertisers in India's heavily ad-supported OTT market.
Despite the abundance of content available across languages and platforms, new video streaming services continue to emerge seeking to tap into opportunities that remain underserved in regional markets. As reported by Mint, Brijen Desai, associate vice-president at independent digital marketing agency White Rivers Media, noted that regional content remains one of the strongest growth drivers in India's streaming market. Ashish Pherwani, M&E sector leader at EY India, explained that the Indian OTT market is split into national and regional platforms, with over 50% of content now consumed in languages other than Hindi.
Regional platforms can deliver more relevant content, stronger cultural resonance and deeper audience engagement compared to mainstream services. According to Mint reports, Rajesh Sethi, partner at PwC India, highlighted that newer players are trying to fill the gap for regional storytelling as audiences increasingly want stories rooted in their own language, culture and lived experiences. The opportunity lies in lower content costs compared to Hindi or English, scope for partnerships with local creators, telecom players and TV networks, and viable economics through advances in technology that have reduced launch costs.
Despite lower barriers to entry, attracting and retaining viewers remains a formidable challenge for regional platforms. As reported by Mint, Sanmesh Sapkal, director at digital marketing agency TheSmallBigIdea, noted that consumers already have access to established platforms such as Netflix and Prime Video, making it tough to convince them to add another subscription. Chandrashekhar Mantha, partner at Deloitte India, emphasized that the biggest competition comes from YouTube with ample free content available for viewers, making a subscription model challenging for new regional platforms.
