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  • OTT streaming platform aha enters Malaysia

    OTT streaming platform aha enters Malaysia

    Mumbai: aha, one of India’s leading regional language OTT platforms, launches in Malaysia with a robust content offering for the local Tamil diaspora.

    The platform entered the Malaysian market on 19 September 2022 as part of their effort to expand their presence in Southeast Asia. The launch was inaugurated by minister of human resources YB Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, aha brand ambassador Anirudh Ravichander and aha CEO Ajit Thakur at Park Royal Collections Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

    Since its debut, aha has engaged its audience by telling stories about their home land, featuring some of the most loved celebrities in India. The 100 per cent Tamil regional OTT platform, aha Tamil, features a number of blockbuster films and exclusive originals.

    Actor Simbu and incredibly gifted musician Anirudh Ravichandran are the brand ambassadors for aha. To mark its arrival in Malaysia, the OTT streaming service came onboard as a co presenting sponsor of the Anirudh Live in Malaysia 2022 concert, which was held on 17 September at the Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil.

    On the occasion of the Malaysia launch, Saravanan said that he is excited about aha’s unique efforts in content collaboration and investment in original content with local talents and production houses, which will undoubtedly give global exposure to the Tamil content industry here in Malaysia.

    aha is proud to be the first Indian OTT entity that is committed to investing in local content and to uplifting the Tamil entertainment industry in Malaysia by leveraging local talents and production houses. Through this integration, aha hopes to stay relevant in Southeast Asia and is looking at aligning the OTT landscape and providing a seamless experience for consumers in Malaysia and India.

    Commenting on Malaysia launch, Thakur said, “At aha, we are proud of our unique proposition of providing 100 per cent local entertainment to the audience and we are delighted to bring 100 per cent local entertainment now to Malaysia.  With the launch of aha in Malaysia, we will not only offer the best of Tamil movies and originals to the audience but also source and create content with local film-makers and artists.”

    aha Tamil business head Chidambaram Natesan said, “‘Yaadhum Oorey Yaavarum Kaeleer,’ Malaysian Tamils best represent this line by the famous Tamil philosopher Kaniyan Pugundranar. Malaysian Tamils have always welcomed everyone with great warmth to their land. We are confident that aha Tamil’s launch in Malaysia will be supported with the same love and affection.

    He added, “aha Tamil OTT started with the core idea of ‘Tamizhal Tamizhil Tamizharuku’ (in Tamil, by Tamil, for Tamil people) and now we are in Malaysia to carry forward the same proposition.”

  • Aha partners with O4 Media to stream exclusive Korean content

    Aha partners with O4 Media to stream exclusive Korean content

    Mumbai: Good news for Korean drama (K Drama) fans! OTT platform aha has partnered with a Hong Kong-based global content distributor O4 media to stream Korean content from Korean Broadcasting System( KBS), including premium crime, drama, and comedy, onto the platform.

    aha’s CEO Ajit Thakur said, “We are among the fastest-growing OTTs in India, with a presence in Telugu and Tamil. Our diverse and differentiated local content has built a strong core fan base with a wide variety our content ranging from fiction, nonfiction, game shows, music, and talent shows original films, live news, kids’ content, and so on. Keeping in mind the evolving preferences of viewers and the popularity of Korean content amongst our audiences, we are now bringing some of the top Korean shows in local languages, enabling our viewers to watch their favourite programs from across the world.”

    Starting the last quarter of this year, 100 hours of Korean content will go live for Telugu consumers adding further value to aha’s exhaustive content library.

     O4 Media founder & managing director Gary Pudney said, “The south is a dynamic part of India, and working with Aha, such a new and fast-growing player in the market, illustrates that they have an acute eye for the content which is highly appealing and engaging for their audience. We see this as just the beginning of a long-lasting relationship.”

  • Sun TV’s Kavitha Jaubin joins Arha media-owned Aha as VP content & strategy- Tamil

    Sun TV’s Kavitha Jaubin joins Arha media-owned Aha as VP content & strategy- Tamil

    Mumbai: Sun TV veteran Kavitha Jaubin has joined Arha media-owned Aha as VP of content & strategy-Tamil. Jaubin confirmed the development to Indiantelevision.com over a call. Jaubin led the content and brand integration at Sun TV, where she served a stint of over 15 years.

    Indiantelevision.com broke the news of the media veteran putting in her papers at the Kalanithi Maran-owned network last month.

    ALSO READ |Sun TV veteran Kavitha Jaubin quits

    Aha is an OTT player owned by Arha Media & Broadcasting, a joint venture between Geetha Arts and real estate business group My Home Group, which offers original content in Telugu and Tamil languages. After establishing itself as the one-stop destination for Telugu-speaking viewers globally, the OTT player forayed into the Tamil market late last year, following its debut in March 2020.

    At Sun TV, the Chennai-based Jaubin handled several challenging assignments, having joined the network in August 2007 as head of Kids Channels (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam). She took on the additional responsibility of cluster head-content acquisition at the broadcaster.

    Jaubin took over the mantle of head of Sun Life, the network’s second general entertainment channel, in 2011 for nine years before taking up her final stint at the broadcaster as head of content and brand integration in February 2020.

    Prior to Sun TV, she served a brief stint as executive producer at 92.7 BIGFM.

    Early on in her career, she even donned a creative hat as writer-director at Star India’s Star Vijay Television for four years.

  • Aha partners with Oak Entertainment to launch the first look of ‘Dance Ikon’

    Aha partners with Oak Entertainment to launch the first look of ‘Dance Ikon’

    Mumbai: Aha, in collaboration with Oak Entertainment, has launched the first look of the dance show Dance Ikon.

    Following the huge success of Telugu Indian Idol, aha is gearing up to showcase talented dancers from across India and give them the opportunity to be a part of the show.

    The show will be hosted by anchor and producer Ohmkar, and it will air very soon.

    Dance Ikon producer Ohmkar said, “I was excited about my debut when I was offered this opportunity, which was an absolute delight. I have designed many dance shows previously, but this dance show will be unique and I am confident that it will be an iconic show. Therefore, we have titled the show Dance Ikon.”

    He further added, “We have designed it so that this show will turn the lives of the choreographers and the participants. The winner’s choreographer would get to choreograph a song for Tollywood’s top hero, and that would be something we would announce at the finale.”

    aha, launched the show’s first look on 20 August 2022.

  • Aha plans to expand in Tamil market; observes potential business opportunities in Avod model

    Aha plans to expand in Tamil market; observes potential business opportunities in Avod model

    Mumbai: Launched in 2020, video-on-demand streaming service Aha, which provides 100 percent Telugu content, has created its own space in the minds of audiences. Aha, which was dependent on the subscription video on demand (SVOD) model for revenue, has decided to go ‘hybrid’. Subscribers will now decide if they want to watch more ads or in limited numbers.

    After establishing its dominance in Telugu (regional) content, the company is ready to galore opportunities and expand to the Tamil market. In Telugu alone, the company has been able to create more than 1,000 hours of programming on the platform.

    Opportunities in AVOD model

    The advertising-based video on demand is a fast growing market where subscribers access free content. Moreover, the platform leverages advertising revenues to support the service. Speaking in this context during a round table virtual conference recently, Aha senior vice president, content & non-subscription revenue business Vaasudev Koppineni said, “The next big opportunity for growth comes from these AVOD consumers, which is 10x or more than what the paying subscription market is, so it also opens gateways to a great opportunity for a platform to run into profitability as well.”

    The two major focuses that Aha keeps in mind are that they don’t want their audience to have any bad experiences while watching the content, and they don’t want to bombard their customers with 10 or 20 different ads in a short period of time.

    Aha is giving the consumer the choice to select whether to go for an ad-free plan or to go for an ad-based plan. Aha’s vice president and head of non-subscription revenue, Nitin Burman said that they understand that there will be a certain set of users who are ready to pay a premium and get an ad-free experience on their content.

    Adding further, Nitin said, “We also want to come up with live commerce. There, by watching content, you will be able to buy a specific item. We will have that technology where you can click on those shows and directly buy them from an e-commerce partner. We will be offering all those to our consumers as well as to the advertisers to reach out to engage with the consumers.”

    The company has 10 million monthly active subscribers and an overall of 30 million downloads of the company’s app. They also have two million YouTube subscribers as well.

    Focus on advertisers  

    Aha currently has 50 advertisers, including FMCG players like Sprite, Dabar, ITC, HUL, etc., and technology players like Instagram, Zepto, Swiggy including others. Some advertisers such as Sprite, MTR Masala, and Himalaya are integrating advertising into shows.The company anticipates an ad revenue contribution of 15-20 per cent.

    Nitin explained how it will work from an advertisers’ point of view and how regional ads are working for them: “Advertisers also want to reach out to the regional audiences,” he said.

    He expressed that the buying capacity and the market are not just located in the top eight cities but also beyond that. “That’s where the focus has shifted from just going to the urban audience but also to the regional platforms to reach out to these regional audiences,” he said.

    Nitin further added, “This itself has given us the confidence to go on a hybrid future model. Today, what has happened is that after the success of two years and getting two million plus paid users, it has opened eyes for a lot of competitions to actually start targeting Telugu and Tamil audiences as well on all their platforms.”

    Future of OTT

    Nitin believes that the future of OTT in India is definitely a hybrid because, at the end of the day, every business has to break even and has to profit to become profitable as well. “Clearly, the future is hybrid. And with 5G coming, the consumer base is going to increase in this market. So to reach out to that consumer base, the wallet is limited to what they are spending right now. So to get that share, each player is going to come up with a hybrid model where they will want to reach out to premium users as well as to entry-level users with both offerings,” said Nitin.

    Vaasudev added, “You have to give the consumer the convenience in the room who wants to continue to watch content that somebody wants to add to the experience. They should pay for an upgraded experience. If somebody wants to watch the content with a premium, you should be able to go and give it to them in the way they want to, and if there is a consumer who doesn’t want to pay that premium, but wants to consume content with ads, then you should technically go ahead and do that. So, I think it is all about the convenience of the consumer.”

  • aha announces “Highway” starring Anand Devarakonda & Abhishek Banerjee

    aha announces “Highway” starring Anand Devarakonda & Abhishek Banerjee

    Mumbai: The local entertainment platform, aha, has announced ‘Highway’, a psychological thriller starring Anand Devarakonda and Abhishek Banerjee in a never-before-seen avatar. 

    Directed and written by K.V. Guhan, and produced by Venkat Talari, the film will hit aha screens very soon. aha, has launched the poster of the original movie on 6 August.

    “Highway” is a psychological thriller about a photographer Vishnu (Anand Devarakonda), falling in love with Tulasi (Manasa), who was sheltered all her life. When everything is going great, his life turns upside down when a serial killer named D kidnaps his lady love. Will the hero be able to save her in time? 

    aha has a solid vision to bring audiences engaging content, and recently aha original ‘Color Photo’ also won the Best Regional Award – Telugu at 68th National Awards. With another original titled ‘Highway’ coming soon, aha again is set to showcase the commitment to audiences by providing 100 percent local entertainment.

  • aha partners with JioSaavn to launch an exciting subscription offer

    aha partners with JioSaavn to launch an exciting subscription offer

    MUMBAI : The regional OTT player, aha has partnered with audio OTT platform JioSaavn to offer access to each other’s content at the price of one. This move comes as a surprise for the new subscribers as the platforms will become super affordable for them.

    The partnership will allow new users to stream eighty million plus audio tracks on JioSaavn and access to two hundred fifty films, series and original shows such as Unstoppable, Telugu Indian Idol, Bheemla Nayak, DJ Tillu , and many more on aha. aha and JioSaavn unlock access to a world of entertainment, with the #OkeDebbaKiAataPaata campaign.

    Following this partnership both aha and JioSaavn will offer one-year subscription of both apps to the new users at an effective price of Rs 399 with 50 per cent discount from the actual annual subscription price of Rs 798 on both platforms independently.

    The latest partnership underscores aha’s aim to entertain the audience in their native language and JioSaavn’s commitment to providing a superlative audio streaming experience to users in regional markets with the most relevant content offerings.

    Additionally, the association will drive organic subscription growth for both platforms while adding value to their new users that sign up for this offer. At present, aha and JioSaavn’s annual subscriptions are priced at Rs. 399. With this collaboration both brands will offer an annual subscription at the price of one ie., Rs 399 per annum for their new users.

    Commenting on the partnership, aha CEO Ajit K Thakur said, “We at aha are delighted to partner with JioSaavn for this exclusive offer. Our partnership with JioSaavn emphasizes our commitment to generate better value for our users with exclusive partnerships. We warmly welcome our new users to enjoy both aha and JioSaavn annual subscription at 50 per cent discount”.

  • aha unveils its content line-up, 40 titles in plan for May

    aha unveils its content line-up, 40 titles in plan for May

    Mumbai: The regional OTT platform, aha has announced on Thursday a stellar content slate for the month of May, which includes 40 titles for their Telugu section.

    The new titles will provide 100 percent local entertainment to the people globally. The slate, directed by some of the industry’s best filmmakers, will include regional programming as well as the most popular Hollywood films, which will be available in the Telugu section of aha. Viewers will be able to watch international titles, which include,  Sam Raimi’s Spiderman series, the Men in Black series, Django Unchained, Black Hawk Down and others.

    Overall, the platform will make over 30 Hollywood films available in Telugu to their audience.The launch of the regional slate in May also ensures that the platform maintains the innovative and diverse content library with the continuation of Telugu Indian Idol, one of the emerging local talent shows hosted by Sree Ram Chandra, with actress Nithya Menon, music composer Thaman, and singer Karthik as its judges.

    The other high profile reality show that will continue in the month of May will be the second season of the super hit reality game show Sarkaar, hosted by Pradeep Machiraju. The season started on 29 April.

    Fahad Fasil’s Thondimuthalum Drikasakshiyum, a national winning film is set to premiere as “Dongata”. The film will exclusively premiere on the platform this week on 6 May from 12 am.

    Speaking on the launch for the month, aha’s ceo Ajit Thakur said, “We at aha are focused on offering diverse content that appeals to all age groups. The platform is expanding and diversifying itself by creating an original slate and streaming highly popular Hollywood films in the local language. We have recently launched a stunning Tamil slate in association with immensely talented creators. However, our stint in curating and creating Telugu content for the local audience has already made aha, a reliable platform for accessing Telugu entertainment.”

  • YuppTV Scope enters strategic alliance with aha

    YuppTV Scope enters strategic alliance with aha

    Mumbai: OTT aggregator YuppTV Scope has announced its partnership with Telugu OTT platform aha. This strategic alliance will enable YuppTV Scope users to access the entire video content library of aha as a part of YuppTV Scope’s extensive content catalogue.

    Through this partnership, aha can further extend its reach through YuppTV Scope’s BSNL and other ISP partnerships catering to tier 2 and 3 segments, said the statement. 

    “YuppTV lets its users rediscover and connect with entertainment that resonates with their preferences,” said YuppTV founder and CEO Uday Reddy. “We are committed to giving our viewers the finest quality content in accordance with their comfort and this partnership brings us a step closer towards it. aha is known for its distinct brand of storytelling-driven format that engages viewers with its exclusive and original content. With the collaboration, YuppTV viewers will have access to the entire category of Telugu entertainment at their ease.”

    aha offers original Telugu content across various formats that include films, web series, and non-fiction shows.

    “The collaboration has brought a broader reach to the platform,” stated aha CEO Ajit Thakur. “We’re excited to work with YuppTV and we want to offer further shows on the platform in the future. Our business model is to generate unique content that is extremely engaging and can be delivered across a variety of platforms. YuppTV Scope’s large and highly engaged premium audience is an excellent fit for reaching, distributing, and promoting our platform.”

  • aha Studio and Applause Entertainment partner to produce four bi-lingual web series

    aha Studio and Applause Entertainment partner to produce four bi-lingual web series

    Mumbai: Telugu OTT platform aha on Monday launched an independent content and IP creation entity – aha Studio, which has also entered into a partnership with Applause Entertainment to co-produce four premium bi-lingual series.

    Their first offering- a web series titled ‘Half-Lion’ will tell the story of former prime minister P V Narsimha Rao. Based on the book with the same name written by Vinay Sitapati, the series will be released in Hindi, Telugu and Tamil, the streaming platform announced at an event held on Monday.

    aha Studio will work on projects at a Pan-India level and tell stories that have their origins in the South. The entity will self-finance these projects and license it to various platforms once the production is finished. “The studio is an initiative to create content at an arms-length from the platform. Doing this helps us work with the top talent in the country. We’re looking for projects that have a Pan-India appeal but have their origins in the South, that’s our USP,” said aha CEO Ajit Thakur.

    “For us, this partnership is about collaborating with a strong creative and production company,” said Applause Entertainment chief executive officer Sameer Nair. “Geetha Arts is one of the largest content creation companies in South India and have been making movies and series for many years, and they’ve launched the platform aha. In order for us to do bigger, better and brighter things, we will have to collaborate with other content studios. This is not the age of going solo. Lot of creative people should work together on projects.”

    Elaborating on the new web series, Nair said, “We enjoy telling stories of this kind. These stories are increasingly being told in the language that they deserve to be told. ‘Scam 1992’ was equal part Hindi and equal part Gujarati. Once we’ve made it, I’m sure there will be a lot of people interested in it because it is an important story to tell.”

    The series will be helmed by National Award-winning director Prakash Jha known for his socio-political films such as ‘Gangaajal’, ‘Apaharan’, ‘Rajneeti’ and ‘Aarakshan’ and web series ‘Ashram’. “Hardly a small percentage of today’s generation knows about Rao, the ”man who changed India”. He brought about changes, systems in our polity, economy, society and everyday life in our country which now is completely irreversible,” said Jha.

    aha Studio had acquired the rights to the book ‘Half-Lion’ and approached Applause Entertainment that has the expertise in telling layered narratives with an ensemble cast. The content studio headed by Nair recently bagged 12 Filmfare OTT awards for ‘Scam 1992’ their biopic on stockbroker Harshad Mehta.

    “It’s been a remarkable journey with aha in Telugu so far,” said Geetha Arts managing director and aha promoter Allu Aravind at the event. “We are overwhelmed with the love and support we’ve received globally from the audience, who’ve made aha one of the fastest growing apps in India within a span of two years.  In what is another pioneering effort from aha, we believe aha Studio will help us work with the best creative talent in the country to present world class entertainment to our global audience.”

    Telugu OTT platform aha is set to launch in Tamil language next year. The platform which has grown by 13+ million downloads in the last year and a half will increase its content investments in 2022 and launch new unscripted formats including ‘Indian Idol Telugu’.