Prime Video India Exec, Filmmakers Talk Streaming Greenlight Strategies at Film Bazaar: ‘What We Are Looking for Is Story’

variety.com:

Naman Ramachandran During a panel at India’s Film Bazaar, Prime Video India’s content licensing head Manish Menghani and filmmaker Nikkhil Advani (“Freedom at Midnight”) discussed the evolving landscape of streaming content development in India, with “Delhi Crime” creator Richie Mehta moderating.

Menghani traced how the Indian streaming space has transformed since Prime Video’s 2016 launch, identifying COVID-19 as a key inflection point. “The entertainment palette of consumers completely changed in this country.

Sixty percent of our consumers today watch content in four or more languages,” Menghani said, noting that over half of content consumed on the service comes from outside viewers’ primary language.

For creators pitching projects, Menghani emphasized that while meetings help creators verbalize their vision, “the rubber hits the road on the paper.” He noted the platform looks beyond just the pitch or cast attachments: “What we are looking for is the story.” Advani shared his journey transitioning from theatrical films to streaming, which began with the series “P.O.W.,” which was broadcast on Star Plus and was a hit on streamer Disney+ Hotstar.