Viacom18 Unveils VOD Platform

MUMBAI: Viacom18, which operates a portfolio of Indian networks, including Colors, has launched an advertiser-supported free VOD platform called VOOT.

Available beginning today, VOOT launches with 17,000 hours of content derived from the Viacom18 channel portfolio, which includes Colors, MTV and Nickelodeon. The lineup will feature online originals hailing from Bollywood actors Gulshan Grover, Baba Sehgal and Alok Nath as well as various celebrity scriptwriters and directors. The originals lineup kicks off with Badman, a mockumentary written and directed by Soumik Sen and co-written by stand-up comedian Anubhav Pal starring Gulshan Grover as himself. Soadies, meanwhile, is a comedic spin-off of the MTV India series Roadies with Baba Sehgal in the lead role. There is also the comedy Chinese Bhassad, written by Raahil Qaazi, and the talk show Sinskari. VOOT will also deliver exclusive content related to hit shows, including behind-the-scenes footage.

“India is at the cusp of a digital boom with over 400 million internet users and 200 million-plus smartphone users spending a significant amount of time online with entertainment and allied content being the prime driver,” said Sudhanshu Vats, group CEO at Viacom18. “As more people move towards consuming content online, it is time for Viacom18 to move into the world of connected screens. Hence VOOT.”

Vats continued, “With kids’ content and our entire VOOT originals lineup, the focus was to get people addicted to happiness. Through our content strategy, that is what we have held true. Our television channels also provide a very robust content bank that we will build upon for the digital consumers. VOOT will be Viacom18’s singular gateway to quality and differentiated content, in the digital medium.”

Gaurav Gandhi, COO of Viacom18 Digital Ventures, added, “As a network we are a content powerhouse, be it through our television channels or through our film studio. Our content strategy for VOOT is true to Viacom18’s philosophy of inclusive entertainment. Between VOOT Originals, VOOT Kids, our network content and content-around-content created exclusively for the platform, the idea is to peddle happiness to the ‘always wanting’ India racing to go digital. Our marketing campaign, set to kick off in the next few days, also highlights this brand philosophy that is at the core of VOOT.”

The company says that it will consider freemium and subscription-led models as the market matures in the next year or two.