Bollywood's new script: Stars gamble on niche OTT platforms, seeking control and IP ownership

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Movie stars and celebrities are among those investing in emerging streaming services—both audio and video—even though an abundance of such platforms makes it a risky proposition.

Actor Rana Daggubati has invested in a regional OTT called Chai Shots, while Pankaj Tripathi had earlier joined audio service Velvet as co-founder. Experts said while the investments are risky considering the amount of time and patience they require for monetization to kick in, it gives actors control and ownership over stories and formats, especially in the niche spaces of audio and short-form video.

Their presence brings credibility and visibility to the platform in a deeply crowded market. “In an increasingly cluttered OTT landscape, several prominent stars have ventured into launching their own platforms, driven by the strategic advantage of brand-led distribution," said Chandrashekar Mantha, partner and media and entertainment sector leader at Deloitte India.

“These initiatives are less about scale at inception and more about directly engaging audiences by leveraging the inherent brand equity of the star, thereby keeping customer acquisition costs relatively low." Star-owned platforms benefit from built-in visibility and loyalty, while content produced or owned by celebrities helps seed and strengthen the content library, Mantha added. Beyond audience access, these ventures offer greater control over intellectual property and enable diversification across multiple revenue streams, including subscriptions, advertising, licensing, syndication, and ancillary formats.