Why investors are all ears for hyperlocal OTTs

For a long time, India’s digital streaming landscape was synonymous with scale—mega platforms, marquee stars, and glossy, formulaic narratives designed for urban, pan-Indian appeal. But a quiet revolution is underway. In small towns, regional pockets, and even within states, audiences are gravitating toward something more intimate: storytelling that speaks in their dialect, mirrors their lived realities, and honours local pride. And investors are listening.

The emergence of new hyperlocal OTT platforms—like STAGE, Chaupal and Flick TV-is phenomenal.  These platforms are not trying to be everything to everyone. They are purposefully narrow in focus but broad in ambition—targeting dialect-specific audiences, delivering culturally resonant content, and reimagining video entertainment for Bharat’s fast-growing mobile-first population.

The surge in investment reflects this conviction. Founded in early 2025 by Kushal Singhal and Pratik Anand, Flick TV--a microdrama-driven platform---secured $2.3 million in seed funding last month. The funds will be used to scale content production and expand into four new regional languages. Flick TV also plans to invest in enhancing its mobile-first streaming experience, driving user acquisition and retention across channels, and building a cross-functional team.

Haryana-based STAGE raised $12.5 million in Series A funding from Blume Ventures and Goodwater Capital a couple of months ago. Founded in 2019 by Vinay Singhal, Shashank Vaishnav, and Parveen Singhal, STAGE currently serves content in Haryanvi, Rajasthani, and Bhojpuri and aims to scale up in other dialects.

Founded in 2021 by Sandeep Bansal and Ujjwal Mahajan---Chaupal OTT--offers a rich mix of Punjabi, Bhojpuri, and Haryanvi content. It has raised $4.8 million till date and is scaling via bundled partnerships.

This is more than a trend—it’s a tectonic shift in how India watches, experts say.

Though it's not only an Indian phenomenon. PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2024–2028 highlights regional content as the next big engine for growth globally—from South Asia to Sub-Saharan Africa. Even in the US and Western Europe, audiences are leaning into culturally rooted, locally flavoured narratives.

Next big streaming frontier

STAGE, for instance, aims to launch in 18 more dialects—including Maithili, Bundeli, Awadhi, and Marathi. Its goal? To grow its subscriber base from 4.4 million to 70–80 million.

India’s streaming video sector generated ?35,600 crore in advertising and pay revenues in 2024, according to Media Partners Asia, from a base of 125 million subscribers. In that context, a few million subscribers and a few hundred crore in revenue may seem modest—but for investors, it’s about betting on momentum and unmet potential.

At the heart of hyperlocal OTT’s appeal lies one undeniable truth: language is not just a medium—it’s an identity.

“They are capturing what national platforms can only deliver sparsely: the emotional nuance of dialect, local pride, and cultural specificity. It isn’t very surprising, as this mirrors the media landscape in more traditional forms as well. While the formats are new, the principle remains—India is a multi-local market,” says Arvind Krishnan, Founder and CEO, Manja.

For investors, this shift is attractive not just because of market size but because of defensibility. “The long-term bet isn’t just on entertainment, but on owning regional identity in the digital age. And that can be very profitable,” Krishnan adds.

This identity-driven approach is what excites Lloyd Mathias, angel investor and business strategist. “Unlike mainstream OTTs that mostly offer urban-centric content, these platforms focus on localised narratives, languages, and dialects—making them more relatable and affordable for a wider audience,” he says.

The result? Sticky audiences, high retention, and a deep connect that mass-market platforms often struggle to build. “The demand now is not for big stars, but for good storytelling that resonates locally. These 20–25-minute shows tailored to regional tastes are like Reels in binge format,” Mathias notes.

Strong signals, clear moat

It’s not just about sentiment. The fundamentals back this movement.

According to EY, regional language content on OTT platforms was expected to double—from 27% in 2020 to 54% by 2024. This is backed by subscriber data: STAGE claims over 2.25 lakh subscribers, growing at 30% month-on-month. These are still small numbers compared to giants like Netflix, but in terms of loyalty, retention, and community building—they punch far above their weight, points out Shabbir Motiwala, Chief Content Officer, Infectious Advertising / Epidemik Content.

“Hyperlocal OTT isn’t just a media trend—it’s a powerful tool for advertisers to build relevance, trust, and results in India’s diverse digital ecosystem,” Motiwala opines.

A GSMA Intelligence report found that platforms optimised for low bandwidth and small screens show stronger engagement across emerging markets. Still, the road to profitability isn’t a smooth ride.

“Yes, profitability is a challenge right now—many regional OTTs haven’t turned the corner yet. But that will change,” says Motiwala. “To stand out, these platforms must invest in sharp storytelling, high production values, and innovation. Expansion into new dialects is not just a growth lever—it’s a gateway to millions of untapped households.”

Lessons from pioneers

Newcomers are learning from early regional success stories. Telugu-Tamil streamer Aha (backed by Allu Aravind), Malayalam’s Koode (backed by Studio MoJo) and ManoramaMax (Malayala Manorama), Tamil's SunNXT (Sun TV) and Gujarati's Oho Gujarati, ShemarooMe have already built loyal fan bases.

Bengali platform Hoichoi (SVF), which recently posted a ?11.8 crore profit for FY24, shows that profitability in the vernacular space is not just possible—it’s here.

The model works because it doesn’t just translate—it reimagines. “Online viewers become fervent followers as a result of cultural authenticity and relatable storytelling,” says Pep Figueiredo, COO of PTPL India and former SonyLIV executive. “This promotes high retention and natural growth, even with small production teams and low costs.”

He sees the space as a first-mover opportunity. “Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets are hungry for content in their own dialects. These platforms are forging community ties that national players haven’t managed to crack.”

Skeletal crews and clever local monetization provide a clear route to sustainability, even though many are still unprofitable today, he adds.

A format for Bharat

Now, even global giants are following suit. Netflix, Amazon, and Disney+ have all ramped up their investment in local-language content—not for optics, but because that’s where the engagement is.

Yet, amid this optimism, industry experts caution about the long road ahead and insist that the long-term winners will be those who invest in sharp storytelling, high production value, and format innovation.

Dr Sandeep Goyal, MD of Rediffusion, admits that cultural authenticity and dialect-specific storytelling do enhance local connect, but he warns, “Mother tongue is a great and enduring bond and it works. The only issue is with quality content creation at scale. Initially the enthusiasm endures but then all of them start copying tested formats from the regional and Hindi languages, diluting the impact. The uniqueness then dries out and loyalists tend to move away.”