Ultra Media launches two new OTT platforms for Hindi movies and songs, plans to invest र500 crore

Ultra Media & Entertainment Group, which specialises in producing, acquiring, distributing and syndicating content, has launched two new over-the-top (OTT) platforms and plans to invest ₹500 crore in the OTT business over the next five years for content acquisition, marketing and technology, among other things. The  company aims to have a total of five million subscribers for the two platforms within a year of their launch.

Ultra Play, one of the new platforms, features a curated collection of more than 2,000 movies from the 1950s onwards, from directors such as Guru Dutt, Raj Kapoor, Shakti Samanta, Subhash Ghai and Vidhu Vinod Chopra, among others. The other, Ultra Gaane, hosts more than 4,000 classic tracks from the 1940s onwards, and music from new, independent artistes. Both platforms will offer an annual plan for ₹199 and a three-month plan for ₹99.

Ultra already operates Ultra Jhakaas, a Marathi OTT platform it launched in 2023.

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“While this content may be available for free on other platforms, it is not the focus of those services. We’re looking at programming from a nostalgic point of view and have kept the price points reasonable to cater to the masses,” Rajat Agrawal, chief operating officer and director of Ultra Media & Entertainment Group said in an interview. He added that the company will continue to invest in acquiring digital rights for external content, which it will stream on its own app or distribute elsewhere. 

Long-tail OTT

Many video streaming platforms have been launched over the past few months to provide content specific regional languages or produce shows with niche themes. Vibhu Agarwal, founder and CEO of Ullu, a video-streaming platform primarily known for adult content, launched a mythological OTT service called Hari Om, while Navrattan Group, a Mumbai company with businesses across engineering, technology and construction, plans to launch a new service offering movies for family audiences. Despite the saturation of the OTT market, niche platforms can carve out unique audiences by focusing on specific themes or genres that are underserved by mainstream platforms, media industry experts said.

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“Ultra Play is our tribute to the timeless magic of Bollywood. By reviving these classic films, we are not only allowing audiences to relive their cherished memories but also introducing a new generation to the legacy of Indian cinema,” Sushilkumar Agrawal, CEO of Ultra Media & Entertainment Group said in a statement.