Indian public broadcasting heavyweight Prasar Bharati rolled out its Waves streaming platform at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, marking the state broadcaster’s entry into the country’s competitive streaming space.
The platform launches with offerings in over 12 languages and 10+ genres, with everything from video-on-demand content to free gaming, radio streaming and 65 live channels. In an effort to differentiate itself from existing streamers, Waves is also integrating e-commerce capabilities through a partnership with ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce).
“It is indeed a momentous occasion for the Indian entertainment industry with the launch of Waves OTT,” Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said at the launch event. “I am very happy to see the diverse range of content on the platform, including a large number of films and content in different languages, including Konkani.” In India and many Asian countries, streaming is also referred to by the abbreviation OTT (Over The Top).
The service’s initial content includes fantasy action title ‘Monkey King the Hero is Back’, national award winner ‘Fouja’ and Vipul Shah’s thriller series ‘Bhed Bharam’. The line-up also includes “Fauji 2.0”, a modern version of the 80s Shah Rukh Khan film, starring Gauhar Khan and directed by Sandeep Singh. Family drama ‘Thode Door Thode Paas’ starring Pankaj Kapoor, Kailash Kher’s music reality show ‘Bharat ka Amrit Kalash’ and Oscar winner Guneet Monga Kapoor’s social impact film ‘Kicking Balls’ round out the offering.
For younger viewers, the platform offers animated shows including ‘Doggy Adventure’, ‘Chota Bheem’, ‘Tenaliram’ and ‘Akbar Birbal’, in addition to games like ‘Krishna Jump’, ‘Fruit Chef’, ‘Ram the Yodha’ and American Cricket Premier League Tournament.
Highlighting the platform’s focus on family viewing, Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi said, “Waves brings a wide range of content for a clutter-free family viewing experience to every Indian home that can use this platform to watch, listen, read, play and shop in a curated environment .”
The platform has formed partnerships with several content providers, including Lionsgate for video content and multiple gaming companies such as Mud Games and Tag Labs. Educational content providers such as PACE have joined to offer test prep tutorials.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Sanjay Jaju positioned the launch within India’s broader digital strategy: “Waves OTT marks an important step in the Indian government’s Digital India vision. The comprehensive, inclusive and diverse OTT will bridge the gap between digital media and entertainment, through its partnership with BharatNet for last mile connectivity to rural audiences.”
The service will stream live events including the Prabhu Shriram Lalla Aarti from Ayodhya and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly “Mann ki Baat” speech.
Prasar Bharati Chairman Navneet Kumar Sehgal noted that Waves stands out as “one of the few OTT networks that is not only your window to the world of clean family entertainment but also to shopping, gaming and news and current affairs for kids and youth .”
The platform’s content acquisition strategy, as outlined in its 2024 policy, focuses on urban, urban, central Indian and non-resident Indian audiences. Various ministries, including Foreign Affairs, Finance and Culture, have contributed programming to the platform. The service will also feature content from film schools such as FTII and partnerships with National Creator award winners including Kamiya Jani and Gaurav Chaudhary.