JioStar Prioritizes Youth Content and Emerging Creators to Expand in Indian Streaming Market
JioStar’s president of general entertainment, Alok Jain, and head of cluster for entertainment (South), Krishnan Kutty, emphasized youth-focused programming and collaboration with young creators as key drivers for growth at the Indian media giant.
Speaking at the APOS Entertainment Summit in Bali, Indonesia, Kutty highlighted a major gap in content for Generation Z, stating, “Streamers have not programmed enough for Gen Z. We want to increase the volume by seven to 10 times.”
Kutty outlined three content priorities: discovering young creators from smaller towns to diversify storytelling, continuing investment in veteran creators who have proven success, and focusing on stories around popular themes like “aspirations” and “justice” that resonate with audiences.
JioStar, with over 100 million subscribers on its streaming platform JioHotstar, also broadcasts the record-breaking Indian Premier League (IPL).
Jain shared that JioStar is unafraid to innovate with content formats and episode lengths. He cited the success of last year’s hit series Thukra Ke Mera Pyaar, which featured 19 episodes of 30 minutes each, directed by newcomer Shraddha Pasi Jairath and starring a debut cast. “It was a blockbuster from day one,” Jain said.
JioStar also aims to innovate in non-fiction and multi-platform content, encouraging creators to work across TV, short-form, long-form, and streaming mediums, helping talent grow over time.
Kutty noted that JioStar’s most successful shows are bold and push societal boundaries. “What was bold five or six years ago is different today,” he explained, adding that Indian context shapes the type of bold content produced. Shows challenging gender norms have grown in popularity, especially post-pandemic.
Despite India’s linguistic diversity, Jain and Kutty agreed that language is no barrier to success when the story is strong. Kutty pointed to Kerala’s storytellers as an example: though Kerala is a small market, its stories enjoy 80% consumption from outside the state.
Jain referenced Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light, a multilingual hit in Hindi, Malayalam, and Marathi, which achieved critical acclaim beyond language barriers.
Addressing the challenges facing India’s theatrical industry, Jain observed that the traditional three-hour movie format struggles against the rise of 15-20 second shorts. He urged theater owners to innovate pricing and experience to attract audiences.
Kutty discussed the streaming business’s impact on movie production economics. He noted that rising production costs and a B2B model focused on streamers over consumers have disrupted content creation and inflated talent costs.
Source: deadline.com
