Despite the abundance of content available across languages and platforms, new video streaming services continue to emerge, seeking to tap into opportunities that remain underserved in regional markets.
Abhijat Marathi, for instance, was launched at the Cannes Film Festival 2026 as a dedicated platform for Marathi-language content. Elsewhere, celebrities such as Kamal Haasan have advocated for state-backed OTT platforms, including one for Tamil Nadu, while Karnataka has already outlined plans for a regional streaming service.
Most of these platforms are not attempting to compete directly with giants such as Netflix or Prime Video. Instead, they are targeting niche audiences and local advertisers in India's heavily ad-supported OTT market, creating opportunities for regional brands and SMEs (small and medium enterprises). The bigger challenge, however, may be getting discovered.
Untapped audiences
“While the OTT market may appear crowded at a national level, that perception does not apply equally across all language segments. The launch of new OTT platforms is therefore increasingly driven by the need to address specific linguistic, cultural, and community-based gaps,” said Kedar Narahar Joshi, founder and owner of Abhijat Marathi.
In the case of Marathi, the landscape is markedly different. The language is spoken by over 150 million people globally, yet until the launch of Abhijat Marathi, there was no dedicated OTT platform exclusively focused on Marathi-language content and culture, Joshi added.
This points to a significant underserved audience rather than an oversaturated market.
Industry experts say mainstream OTT services typically cater to broad national or international audiences, whereas regional platforms can deliver more relevant content, stronger cultural resonance and deeper audience engagement. In many cases, their growth is less about competing in a crowded market and more about serving audiences whose needs have not been fully addressed.
Local advantage
Regional content remains one of the strongest growth drivers in India’s streaming market, agreed Brijen Desai, associate vice-president at independent digital marketing agency White Rivers Media.
To stand out, these platforms must do more than simply add subtitles. They need to offer authentic local stories and pricing models tailored to their target audiences. By becoming a natural home for a specific community, they can build a loyal and highly engaged viewer base, Desai added.
“The Indian OTT market is split into national and regional platforms. National platforms usually have a four to eight language content strategy, since over 50% of content is now consumed in languages other than Hindi, and the growing acceptance of subs and dubs is adding to regional content consumption as well,” said Ashish Pherwani, M&E (media and entertainment) sector leader at EY India.
Niche opportunity
Rajesh Sethi, partner and leader—media, entertainment and sports, PwC India, said new OTT launches are happening because India’s content ecosystem is expanding and audience preferences are evolving.
There is a clear gap for regional storytelling that newer players are trying to fill. Audiences increasingly want stories rooted in their own language, culture and lived experiences. Large global platforms cannot always serve these needs deeply or consistently.
“The opportunity lies in a loyal community, lower content costs, compared to Hindi or English, and scope for partnerships with local creators, telecom players and TV networks. But to compete with global players, high-quality content and a good user experience will be required,” Sethi added.
At the same time, many observers believe these entrants are not trying to challenge global streaming giants head-on.
According to Chandrashekhar Mantha, partner and media and entertainment sector leader at Deloitte India, they are instead targeting underserved segments such as regional-language entertainment, devotional programming, cultural content and genre-specific offerings that resonate strongly with local audiences.
“By focusing on highly relevant content tailored to regional tastes, traditions, and viewing preferences, these platforms can build loyal communities and differentiated positioning. Additionally, the economics of operating such services have become more viable. Advances in technology have reduced the cost and complexity of launching and managing OTT platforms, while digital advertising and subscription revenues provide multiple monetization avenues,” Mantha added.
Discovery dilemma
Yet, even as technology lowers barriers to entry, attracting and retaining viewers remains a formidable challenge.
According to Sanmesh Sapkal, director—key accounts at digital marketing agency TheSmallBigIdea, consumers already have access to established platforms such as Netflix and Prime Video. Convincing them to add another subscription requires content that is genuinely differentiated.
“For regional, the biggest competition is YouTube that has ample free content available for viewers. So, a subscription model to get them on a new platform to consume content is tough,” Sapkal pointed out.