Hindi
Don to Munna Bhai: Ultra Media’s 2025 Report maps OTT viewing trends
MUMBAI: If you thought old Hindi films lived only in memory lanes and Sunday television slots, India’s OTT habits in 2025 tell a very different story. From Amitabh Bachchan’s swaggering Don to Raj Kapoor’s epic Mera Naam Joker and the ever-popular Munna Bhai M.B.B.S, classic cinema enjoyed a remarkable digital revival this year, according to the Ultra Media OTT Insights Report 2025.
Released by Ultra Media and Entertainment Group, the data-driven report offers a revealing snapshot of how Indian audiences streamed films in 2025 and the verdict is clear. Viewers may love the new, but they still have a deep affection for the timeless.
Post-2000 Hindi blockbusters dominated viewing on Ultra Play, emerging as the platform’s biggest drivers of watch time, engagement and completion rates. Close behind were 1990s favourites, which delivered strong repeat viewing, while films from the 1950s to the 1970s continued to command a loyal following.
Among pre-1980 classics, Don, Amar Prem, Bobby, Aradhana and Mera Naam Joker topped the charts, consistently outperforming other catalogue titles. Meanwhile, films from the 1990s and early 2000s such as Munna Bhai M.B.B.S, Andaz Apna Apna, Sarfarosh, Tezaab, Karan Arjun and Ghayal recorded the highest watch time and repeat consumption.
Restoration also proved to be a winning move. Digitally restored titles like Rangeela and Sarfarosh outperformed comparable films, clocking higher-than-expected engagement and completion rates. Other restored gems, including Pyaasa, Half Ticket and Pardes, added further weight to the catalogue.
Perhaps the most striking insight is who is watching. Classic cinema is no longer the preserve of older viewers. Gen Z audiences are discovering legacy films for the first time, turning nostalgia into fresh curiosity rather than simple revisits.
Geographically, metros such as Delhi and Mumbai led consumption, followed by Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Patna. Across regions, audiences showed a clear appetite for post-2000 blockbusters, action thrillers, South Indian dubbed films and Hindi classics.
The platform’s audience skewed young and male, with an 80:20 male-female ratio, and nearly 70 per cent of viewers aged under 44, led by the 18 to 24 age group.
Ultra Play also reported strong business momentum, recording 250 per cent year-on-year growth in 2025. Festive viewing surged nearly 300 per cent, supported by the addition of over 700 new titles.
Ultra Media and Entertainment Group CEO Sushilkumar Agrawal said audiences connect with stories, not eras. When classic films are restored and curated well, they can stand shoulder to shoulder with modern releases, he noted.
COO and director Rajat Agrawal echoed the sentiment, adding that Ultra’s journey from VHS to OTT has always centred on preserving and monetising great stories.
Looking ahead, Ultra expects its subscriber base to cross 500,000 by 2026 and reach one million by 2027, aided by platform upgrades such as improved navigation, offline viewing and enhanced streaming quality.
In 2025, it seems, Indian cinema proved one thing beyond doubt. A good story never goes out of fashion, it just finds a new screen.
MUMBAI: Prime Video has found its next feel-good original, and it comes with a healthy dose of heart, humour and youthful chaos. The streaming platform has announced Don’t Be Shy, a coming-of-age romantic comedy produced by Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt under their banner, Eternal Sunshine Productions.
Written and directed by Sreeti Mukerji, the film follows Shyamili ‘Shy’ Das, a 20-year-old who believes her life is neatly mapped out until it suddenly is not. What follows is a relatable tumble through friendship, love and the awkward art of growing up, when plans unravel and certainty gives way to self-discovery.
The project is co-produced by Grishma Shah and Vikesh Bhutani, with music composed by Ram Sampath, adding to the film’s promise of warmth and energy. Prime Video describes the story as light-hearted yet emotionally grounded, with a strong female-led narrative at its core.
Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok, said the platform was delighted to collaborate with Eternal Sunshine on a story that blends sincerity with humour. He noted that the film’s fresh writing, earnest characters and infectious music make it an easy, engaging watch for audiences well beyond its young adult setting.
For Alia Bhatt, Don’t Be Shy reflects the kind of storytelling Eternal Sunshine set out to champion. She said the film stood out for its honesty, its coming-of-age perspective and Mukerji’s passion, which she felt was deeply woven into the narrative. Bhatt also praised Prime Video for supporting distinctive voices and bold creative choices.
With its breezy tone and familiar emotional beats, Don’t Be Shy aims to charm viewers whether they are rom-com regulars or simply in the mood for a warm, unpretentious story about life refusing to stick to the plan.
MUMBAI: Tips Films struggled to find its rhythm in the final quarter of 2025, as a spike in production costs and a new regulatory burden pushed the Mumbai-based outfit deeper into the red. According to results released on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, the company posted a net loss of Rs 286.87 lakh for the quarter ended 31 December, despite a modest bump in total income to Rs 456.29 lakh.
The bottom line was hit by the introduction of India’s New Labour Codes, which forced a Rs 37.37 lakh catch-up payment for employee benefits. Production costs also proved a heavy lift, gobbling up Rs 318.48 lakh during the period. On a nine-month basis, the picture looks even bleaker; the company has racked up losses of Rs 1,237.61 lakh, a sharp reversal from the Rs 1,269.17 lakh profit it managed in the same period last year.
Investors will be looking for a script change as the company enters the final stretch of the financial year, with basic earnings per share now languishing at minus Rs 6.64. For now, Tips Films remains a single-segment player, pinning its hopes entirely on the volatile world of film production and distribution.
MUMBAI: Eros International Media Ltd has moved the Bombay high court against filmmaker Aanand L Rai and his production banner Colour Yellow Media Entertainment LLP, alleging unauthorised exploitation of the intellectual property of its 2013 blockbuster Raanjhanaa in the promotion and release of the 2025 film Tere Ishk Mein.
The studio is seeking damages of Rs 84 crore, claiming losses arising from what it describes as unlawful capitalisation on Raanjhanaa’s goodwill. According to a report in The Times of India, Eros has filed a commercial intellectual property suit along with an interim application, alleging trademark infringement, copyright infringement and passing off.
Eros contends that Tere Ishk Mein was deliberately marketed as a “spiritual sequel” to Raanjhanaa without authorisation. The suit names Aanand L Rai, Colour Yellow Media Entertainment LLP and Colour Yellow Productions, along with Super Cassettes Industries (T-Series), writer Himanshu Sharma and Netflix Entertainment Services India LLP, turning the dispute into a multi-party legal battle.
In its filing, Eros asserts that it is the producer and exclusive owner of all intellectual property rights in Raanjhanaa, including copyright, registered trademark rights, character rights in Kundan Shankar and Murari, and remake, prequel and sequel rights. The company alleges these rights were exploited while promoting Tere Ishk Mein, which released theatrically on November 28, 2025.
The legal action was triggered by a teaser released online in July 2025, which Eros claims used phrases such as “From the world of Raanjhanaa” and hashtags including #WorldOfRaanjhanaa. The interim application further alleges unauthorised use of footage, background score and music from Raanjhanaa, despite Eros no longer holding the film’s music rights.
Directed by Aanand L Rai, Tere Ishk Mein stars Dhanush, Kriti Sanon, Priyanshu Painyuli, Prakash Raj and Tota Roy Chowdhury. Neither Eros nor the defendants have issued an official statement so far.
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