Amazon Prime Video, for which India is a crucial market, unveiled its biggest slate to date in the country, at its maiden Prime Video Presents India showcase event in Mumbai. It announced over 40 new titles, in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, across original series, original movies and co-productions that it plans to launch over the next 24 months.
It announced new multi-year licensing deals and co-productions with some of India’s biggest and most successful studios, including Dharma Productions and Yash Raj Films. Prime video also announced its foray into original movie production in India with films in Hindi and Telugu, to be released directly on the service. Among its slate of content are 22 scripted series, four unscripted series, nine returning series and four films, specials and co-productions.
What is this new rental service?
Amazon Prime Video also said it will more than doubling its investment in Prime Video India over the next 5 years. The new offering cover a wide gamut of genres, ranging from thrillers, action, dramas to comedies and romances. It is also increasing its original programming for young adult audiences, and also exploring genres like supernatural and horror for the first time in its India journey. The unscripted series will offer biographies, true-crime and investigative docudramas. Almost 70% of the new upcoming titles will feature new talent - both in front of and behind the camera.
After launching Prime Video Channels last year, the company has now launched Prime Video Store, its transactional video-on-demand (TVOD) movie rental service in India. It allows users to rent latest Indian and international movies on a per-movie basis. The TVOD rental service will be available to all Prime members, as well as, anyone who isn’t a Prime member. "Customers will get early rental access to movies across languages and the rental service can be accessed via the STORE tab on primevideo.com and the Prime Video app," the company said.
The Family Man gets a new season
Some of the web series on Amazon Prime Video had been big hits over the last couple of years, and they needed a comeback through new seasons. In all, the streamer has announced new seasons for 9 web series.
They are: Mirzapur, The Family Man, Breathe: Into the Shadows, Panchayat, Comicstaan, Four More Shots Please!, Made in Heaven, Mumbai Diaries and Paatal Lok.
14 new series in Hindi
Amazon Prime Video has also splurged on new series, which include 14 in Hindi, 5 in Tamil and two in Telugu.
Hindi: Adhura, Bambai Meri Jaan, Call Me Bae, Crash Course, Dahaad, Farzi, Gulkanda Tales, Happy Family Conditions Apply, Hush Hush, Jee Karda, Jubilee, Modern Love Mumbai, PI Meena, Shehar - Lakhot.
Tamil: Modern Love Chennai, Suzhal – The Vortex, Sweet Karam Coffee, The Village, Vadhandhi: The fable of Velonie.
Telugu: Modern Love Hyderabad, Dhootha.
Its unscripted shows include: This is AP Dhillon, Cinema…Marte Dum Tak, Dancing on the Grave and India Love Project.
3 original movies from Amazon
Amazon also announced three original movies --- two in Hindi and one Telugu.
Hindi: Aye Watan...Mere Watan, Maja Maa (Hindi) and Tiku Weds Sheru,
Telugu: Ammu.
Amazon is also making two movies through co-production. They are: Neeyat and Ram Setu.
Amazon has signed deals with Ajay Devgn FFilms for four films including Runway 34, Thank God, Drishyam 2 and Bhola; with Dharma Productions for three films including Jug Jug Jeeyo, Govinda Naam Mera and Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani; with Excel Entertainment for five films including Phone Bhoot, Yudra, Fukrey 3, Jee Le Zara and Kho Gaye Hain Hum Kahan; and Yash Raj Films for five films including Jayeshbhai Jordaar, Prithviraj, Shamshera, Tiger 3 and Pathan.
