Strict laws not approach ahead for OTT, says Vibhu Agarwal of Ullu App

The Covid-19 lockdown has led to an amazing demand for content material and OTT platforms have witnessed unprecedented progress throughout the previous few months. This progress in viewership has led to OTT platforms getting aggressive by way of choices in addition to advertising and marketing, says Vibhu Agarwal, CEO, Ullu App.

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“The response throughout the previous few months has been greater than what we might have anticipated. The data that might have taken us 4 years to realize have been achieved on this lockdown. The mileage in the previous few months has been overwhelming,” he stated.

Launched in December 2018, Ullu App has managed to lure the audiences via its low pricing and content material. Their month-to-month plan is out there at Rs 36 and the yearly plan at Rs 99, making it probably the most inexpensive OTT platforms. When requested in regards to the cause behind the pricing, Agarwal stated they wished to focus on the plenty. He stated the Indian viewers is price-conscious. “YouTube is successful story as a result of it’s completely free,” he stated.

Requested if the low pricing impacts enterprise, he stated, “Sure our costs are very low and it does get tough contemplating the infrastructure concerned. But it surely’s completely a volume-based enterprise. Progressively as volumes are available, we’re hopeful we’ll obtain income. A mean particular person incomes Rs 15-20,000 is not going to spend 1,000 on content material. Clearly, we aren’t short-term gamers and companies at all times have a look at income after a yr or two years. We’re within the second yr proper now however in a wonderful place.”

Agarwal stated the OTT content material area in India is in a great area from a content material standpoint. “Once we began, lots of people warned us in regards to the quantity of competitors. Nevertheless, we don’t consider any participant as a contest. I consider that if I work laborious and with honesty, it can ultimately result in success. Each participant has his or her personal recipe for fulfillment and play on their distinctive USPs. The viewers is sensible at this time, and can simply recognise it for those who undertake one other participant’s technique. The viewers is aware of what to anticipate from the completely different OTT platforms that exist and I don’t assume these USPs must be dissolved,” he stated.

Other than the subscriptions, Agarwal stated they’re planning to supply a few of their content material free of charge on AVOD foundation quickly. He stated they’re backed strongly by the Jaypeeco group, their different enterprise.

Agarwal spoke about how regulation might have an effect on the OTT atmosphere. “At present OTT platforms usually are not regulated. But when launched for OTT gamers in India, it can have an excellent impression. Everybody should comply with the laws and can then construct the platforms accordingly. Now it stays to be seen at what stage the laws are available.”

“Within the present state of affairs, with the quantity of content material being created, it’s tough to censor every thing. If strict laws are imposed, it might result in the viewers resorting to different methods of consuming content material. For eg: if cigarettes are banned, would individuals cease consuming them?” he stated.

Normally perceived as an grownup or a semi-porn platform, Agarwal stated they’re working to creating it secure for all age teams. He stated they’ve redesigned the app in a approach that provides them the choice to stream censored in addition to uncensored variations. “For the previous 5-6 months, we’re noticing lots of people come to us as a result of they’re interested in the identify ‘Ullu’ and our pricing. We’ve got redesigned our app the place we’re giving the viewers to select from ‘censored’ and ‘uncensored’ variations of the content material. You may go to your settings and choose the ‘censored’ possibility, which might utterly change the content material in addition to the posters on the homepage and might watch it with household,” he stated.

Agarwal stated their current choices like ‘Smartphone’ and their future choices could be accessible in each the variations.

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