Amazon Doubles Down on Dual Streaming Strategy in India With Prime Video and MX Player
In a wide-ranging conversation at the APOS summit in Bali on Wednesday, senior regional executives from Amazon laid out their vision for the company's twin-pronged streaming strategy in India, where the tech giant operates both the subscription-based Prime Video platform and the ad-supported service Amazon MX Player. The dual-service approach, they argued, is key to capturing India's vast and varied entertainment consumer base.
'India is a really heterogeneous and diverse country with customers having very different needs,' said Gaurav Gandhi, vp of Prime Video for Asia Pacific and MENA. 'Prime Video caters to customers who are subscription-ready, who have actually transitioned to streaming as their first or only choice of entertainment. Amazon MX Player is aimed at customers who are now transitioning from traditional media — TV or they are not subscription-ready yet — though they are still seeking high-quality premium content.'
More from The Hollywood Reporter
'The Shining,' 'A Clockwork Orange,' 'Megalopolis' Costume Designer to Receive Locarno Vision Award
Engagement, Monetization, Quality Content and the Impact of AI Take Center Stage at NATPE Budapest
'Rivals' Breakout Bella Maclean Cast in Ray Panthaki's Directorial Debut 'In Starland' (Exclusive)
Prime Video, which has achieved some local hits like The Family Man, Paatal Lok, and Made in Heaven, also isn't neglecting the big screen, still an essential entertainment pillar in cinema-mad India, which famously produces more movies per year than any other nation. The company is currently preparing for a bigger push into theatrical production through Amazon MGM Studios. Starting in 2026, the studio will release four to six original Indian films in theaters annually. The next Amazon MGM Studios feature, Anurag Kashyap's Nishaanchi, is slated to hit cinemas this September. The plan builds on Prime Video's past co-productions with leading Indian studios.
Nikhil Madhok, head of originals for Prime Video India, described the platform's creative strategy as 'premium, nuanced, and cinematic,' arguing that the company invests in production values and themes for its series to rival feature films — in order to cut through a content landscape that's hyper competitive. He cited shows like Khauf, a horror series that doubles as a meditation on urban trauma, and Dupahiya, which taps into nostalgic yearnings for rural India.
'We were very clear from the start that the local content in India had to be highly differentiated from television, but at the same time, when it lands up on the service, sitting next to our international content, it must be equally compelling, if not more,' Madhok explained.
Meanwhile, Amazon MX Player, which reaches over 250 million monthly users — many of them mobile-first— has carved a niche with local scripted and unscripted fare, dubbed international content, and escapist franchises like Hustler and Aashram, the latter of which has netted more than 200 million views.
Amazon acquired the MX Player service, a former rival, from India's Times conglomerate last year — in a deal pegged at about $100 million by local press — and promptly merged the service with its AVOD platform Amazon miniTV to create Amazon MX Player.
Amogh Dusad, head of content for Amazon MX Player, revealed plans for the service to boost its efforts in the buzzy micro-drama category. As part of a new initiative titled MX Fatafat, the company will produce a slate of serialized micro-dramas optimized for smartphones. Each series will comprise 80 to 100 episodes of one to two-minute vertical videos, ideal for brief moments of consumption throughout the day.
'MX Fatafat is a fresh approach, requiring unique writing and production methods, and we are looking forward to launch it later this year,' Dusad said.
The panel, moderated by Media Partners Asia executive director Vivek Couto, also touched on Amazon's broader investments in India's surging creator economy. Gandhi noted that over half of Prime Video's current originals feature first-time talent, and the company is actively co-producing short-form content with emerging creator voices through MX Fatafat.
With continued investment across both services, Gandhi stressed that Amazon remains bullish on the long-term potential of India's hyper-competitive streaming market, which has seen local champion JioStar emerge as the dominant player in recent months.
'It's still early days for streaming in India,' Gandhi said.
Best of The Hollywood Reporter
How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started
Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023
Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Refinery29
2 hours ago
- Refinery29
I Tried Amazon's Bestselling Lip Kit & Here Are The Results
Not since Kylie Jenner first took a dip into the beauty world has a lip kit made this much buzz. We're talking, of course, about Wonderskin's Wonder Blading Peel & Reveal Lip Colour Kit, a peel-off lip stain that promises to last all day without budging, fading or feathering. If true, it is a veritable gift from the beauty gods, especially in a world with lip colour-ruining face masks. The kit has already been a sell-out success on US Amazon, earning thousands of 5* reviews which – given the harsh world of internet beauty critics – is no mean feat. But does it really stand up to the hype? We decided to really put the Wonderskin lip kit to the test. Namely on a night out with friends, food, drinks, dancing and a few kisses; for the full ten-hours that Wonderskin claims their lip kit lasts without top ups. Here's how it fared… What is Wonderskin's Wonder Blading Peel Lip Kit and how does it work? Wonderskin's Wonder Blading Peel Lip Kit is not quite a lip stain, but it's not quite a lipstick either; it's somewhere in the middle and combines the best of both, the colour intensity of a lipstick and the staying power of a stain. Essentially, it's a semi-permanent lip colour with two stages, using something Wonderskin call 'Liquid Blading Technology'; an easy, at-home alternative to microblading (the semi-permanent tattoo technique that gives you the look of fuller lip colour or eyebrows). First a tube of Lip Masque, which appears a metallic blue-purple shade (not the final colour!), is painted onto the lips and then after a short wait (10 to 45 seconds depending how intense a colour you want), the Activator Spray is applied. After this, the blue-purple masque can be peeled off the lips, revealing a vibrant lip stain. The gel Lip Masque infuses the top layer of your lips with an ultra-high concentration of pigments. While many other stains often use alcohol-based to leave a long-lasting colour, we love that Wonderskin's Masque is gel-based and alcohol-free, meaning it shouldn't dry out your lips (bonus: the entire kit is also vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free and paraben-free). After this the Lip Activator mist is designed to trigger a "hyper-stain reaction", basically sealing all the pigments within the Masque onto your lips, so once you peel the blue-purple film off, all the colour is left on you. My first impressions using Wonderskin's Wonder Blading Peel Lip Kit I always like to give new products a good sniff when opening them – in all honesty, the way they smell can make or break the experience. While the Lip Masque has an odd, chemical scent, the Activator is fragrance-free. First I applied the Masque onto clean, well-exfoliated lips (I used Lush's Watermelon Sugar Scrub, $14 if you were wondering – shout out to the Harry Styles fans in the house). Swiping the Masque on like a lip gloss was a little odd, if only for the colour – I felt like I was putting on a Halloween look. For my first trial I opted for a lighter stain, leaving the Masque on for just 10 to 15 seconds before spraying with the Activator, using the small towel that comes in the pack under my chin. The combination did leave my lips tingling a little, but nothing too uncomfortable; rather I found the spray left an oddly sweet taste on my lips which I didn't enjoy, but wasn't a deal breaker. All I needed was to swill my mouth out with water after. With the spray on, the Masque does quickly transform into a light film that can be peeled off, just not in one easy go like the promo pictures suggest (here's where the towel really becomes useful). My first time applying the Lip Kit, I was pleasantly surprised with the initial result. While I had chosen Romance, which is billed as a cool rose shade, it rather left my lips a warm berry pink; a vibrant flush, like my natural lips, just a little more intense and without any bleeding into the fine lines around my mouth. Is Wonderskin's Wonder Blading Peel Lip Kit as waterproof and transfer-proof as it promises to be? First impressions aside, I really wanted to put the Lip Kit to the test, wearing it for a full ten hours – the amount of time Wonderskin promises that you can wear the kit for, without touch ups. A day out in London for a boozy, bottomless, birthday brunch with friends I haven't seen in months seemed like the perfect opportunity. For this occasion, I left the stain on for longer – the full 45 seconds – for a deeper, more intense stain. Is it mask-proof? Yes, there was nothing smeared on the inside of my mask, despite pulling my mask on and off several times. Is it drink-proof? Yes, more than a couple of bottomless mimosas proved no match for my lips – there were no annoying marks left on my glass, as there often are with lipstick. Is it food-proof? Yes, I didn't notice any odd, pink marks on my food. Is it kiss-proof? Despite my journalistic integrity, I'm single and not going to go about snogging random strangers in the bar during a pandemic. Drunken kisses of friends' cheeks in the girls' loos did prove the stain to be kiss-proof, though. Is it waterproof? Splashing my face at the end of the day didn't dislodge the stain, but I'll have to wait for another heatwave and a trip to the beach to fully test this one. How did my lips look at the end of the day? At the end of the ten hours, the colour is definitely still there and there is still no bleeding, but as my lips have dried out the stain has clung to the dry patches on my lips, which has left my lips looking a little tight and drawn, You definitely need to thoroughly exfoliate your lips before using this one, and then lip balm on top to keep my lips looking full and vibrant all day. Next time I would probably opt for Glossier's Balm Dotcom in Cherry, $30 to amp up the sweet, berry shade of the stain. How is it taking Wonderskin's Wonder Blading Peel Lip Kit off? First I tried my usual double cleanse (Caudalie's Micellar Cleansing Water, $45 and CeraVe's Hydrating Cleanser, $17.99 $14.39) to no success and even after a good scrub with a makeup remover wipe, there was definitely still a distinct stain left on my lips. You'll need a strong oil-based cleanser to budge this stuff. I recommend Glossier's Milky Oil, $33 or DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, $40 $34.99. What I've learnt using Wonderskin's Wonder Blading Peel Lip Kit a few times Odd as it might seem to apply the blue-purple Masque, you need to properly layer it up, leaving no patchiness as this will translate to your final stain. The first time I trialled the Lip Kit, I ended up applying a second coat to get full coverage. After a few uses of the lip stain, I found that applying it first – before the rest of my makeup – worked best. This way, the Activator spray doesn't dislodge your base, especially if you need to use the towel to wipe away the Masque. Where can I buy Wonderskin's Blading Peel Lip Kit? In Australia you can buy the lip kit from Amazon. What are the best lip stains on the market? Aside from Wonderskin's Blading Peel Lip Kit, there are several other great lip stains on the market. Dior's Addict Lip Tattoo, $65 applies like a lip gloss that then dries down to a stain, but doesn't dry lips out thanks to the squalane and glycerin packed into the formula. If you're looking for a little more from your lip stain, we also love MILK Makeup's Glow Oil Lip & Cheek, $57. Packed into a handy tube, this one's great for on-the-go beauty and touch ups. This article was originally published on Refinery29 UK Refinery29's selection is purely editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items we love! As part of our business model we do work with affiliates; if you directly purchase something from a link on this article, we may earn a small amount of commission. Transparency is important to us at Refinery29, if you have any questions please reach out to us.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Jeff Bezos Reportedly Spoils New Wife Lauren Sanchez With Multi-Million Dollar Jewelry As Wedding Gift
As Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez celebrate their long-awaited wedding in Venice, new reports have emerged claiming that the Amazon founder gifted his bride a multimillion-dollar piece of jewelry to mark the occasion. The jewelry is said to feature a diamond necklace with a large center stone, accompanied by matching earrings to complement the set. This comes amid reports that Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have actually been "secretly married" for over a month, with an ironclad prenuptial agreement in place. Tying the knot with billionaire Jeff Bezos was always going to be a grand affair, and now, insiders say Lauren Sánchez has been spoiled with a jaw-dropping gift fit for a queen. The gift is said to be a diamond necklace from a high-profile jeweler valued at a whopping $3 million to $5 million. "It's a diamond necklace that circles her neck with a large center stone and matching earrings," a source told Page Six. While pictures of the gift have yet to be seen, guests at the wedding may get a first glimpse of it, as the insider claimed that Sánchez will wear the "dazzling new gems" for the ceremony. "You won't be able to miss this elegant diamond necklace as it's almost as massive as Jeff's superyacht," the source added about the expensive piece. "Lauren is thrilled with her blinding new necklace and earrings that take her already impressive collection up several notches." Should Sánchez choose not to wear the new piece during her wedding festivities, she is expected to wear several others, whose total cost is said to be worth four to six times more. "It's said Lauren will wear a long list of precious jewels throughout the festivities that could easily be worth up to $20 or $30-plus million." This may include her $2.5 million ring, which the tech mogul gave her in 2023 when he popped the question. "I'm also told Lauren has her jewels and looks photographed days before she goes out in public so she knows what the photos will look like, and can change them if she's not absolutely thrilled with the way everything looks," the insider also said about Sanchez's jewelry. Previously, a Florida-based attorney claimed that Bezos and Sanchez had already tied the knot in the U.S. "Often, a marriage in foreign country is not valid in the USA, or creates other issues, so yes, it is likely they are already married," said the source, hinting at the reason behind the decision, per Page Six. Seemingly supporting the claim, an Italian official also revealed that Bezos and Sanchez did not file any documents to conduct a civil ceremony in Venice. If the couple's marriage is to be recognized as legal in Venice, they are required under Italian law to file these documents, including a "Dichiarazione Giurata" and an "Atto Notorio." "I can totally rule out that they will have a civil ceremony in Venice under Italian law," the official confirmed to The Times of London. A separate source confirmed the rumor of a secret wedding to the Daily Mail, telling the news outlet that Bezos and Sanchez have been married for over a month now. "They have been married for at least a month, more than a month. The marriage is fully legal and took place in America under American law," the source said. They continued, "When they were planning the wedding, they were clear about the fact that they were already secretly married." "There is no application for a wedding licence from the couple because it was not required," the source added. "Whatever happens at the wedding on Friday, it will not be a wedding. Under Italian law, it will not be a wedding celebration; any vows said or rings exchanged will have no legal meaning." Another rumor that has circulated is that Bezos and Sanchez have already signed a prenuptial agreement to secure the billionaire's $226.7 billion fortune. Although the details of its contents remain under wraps, sources say it will be enforceable despite the couple having their big wedding overseas. "They can get married anywhere as their prenup would generally be drafted to include its enforceability everywhere," a source said.
Buzz Feed
4 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
78 Hilarious Photos Guaranteed To Make Anyone Laugh
Having one of those days? Yeah? Me, too. Well, let's forget the real world for a minute and just look at a bunch of seriously funny photos. Sound good? OK! Here we go: This care package for a coworker who dropped a part on his foot and broke it is just too funny: And I think I'd like to be friends with the person who posted this online with the caption, "Finally saw my first Cybertruck!": The IRL version of this dress doesn't quite look like it does online (anyone else suddenly feel a need to use the restroom?): This guy, meanwhile, magically sweats in XXX: This person tried to take a photo of a cute couple having a romantic dinner, but it didn't turn out the breast, er, best: And this image of a dude vacuuming his lawn at night (for reasons known only to himself) is sending me: "Hey, grandma? Remember when you said you'd stitch me something to put on the wall? Well, I have an idea...": This wife and her skincare mask startled her husband (and, let's be real, us): And this isn't a a FACT: I'm sorry, I'd have had to pull over laughing if I got stuck behind these two trucks: And this matchup in a minor league baseball game proves ANYTHING can happen: Speaking of names, this elementary school teacher has just about the worst one possible for teaching little kids: This high school teacher has just about the worst one possible for teaching teenagers: And I really can't think of a worse name for working at an Apple Store: These tires, it seems, are very happy it's snowing: This London pub took a swipe at us Americans, and all I can say And these first-time parents have got their hands full: This Christmas pillow, as it turns out, also doubles as A+ Valentine's Day decor: The driver of this big truck is refreshingly honest: (Or maybe just funny, LOL.) And this driver is equally as funny: This Indian restaurant has HAD it with basic eaters (like me, I guess, because I love Butter Chicken! I also love Pad Thai at Thai I said, basic): And this Instacart shopper seems fed up, but he's not — it's just that his first name is Jesus and his last name starts with an "I": Some smart-ass put up this sign out in Amish country: This truck has got to be the holiest of all semis: And this absolutely ripped Jesus looks ready to star in his own action movie franchise: While I'm tempting the heavens to hit me with a thunderbolt, I might as well show you this, uh, church sign: And this church that had their billboard message get changed around, LOL: Speaking of funny — check out this soap for sale: I gotta believe the movie theater employees knew what they were doing when they put this Napoleon standee here: And the waitress who wrote these messages seems to have liked one customer more than the other: I would die of embarrassment if I saw this on my phone after lovemaking, like this enthusiastic woman did: This person added an unsettling image to the coffee maker: And this here is why it's so important to do research when writing: This sign makes a very valid — albeit harsh — point: I detect no lies with this sign either: And this sign made me go "I can't believe someone wrote that on a piece of paper and posted it!": This dude's day is not off to a good start: I love all of these preschoolers' answers, but I REALLY love Leah's: And these delivery instructions for an Amazon driver have to be read to be believed: Man, I really hope they gave that pig some love! Arby's needs to get this sign fixed, like, yesterday: This person had a message for the mystery coworker who keeps stealing their lunch: And this girl — after trying an edible for the first time and saying it "wasn't shit" — googled this an hour later: This bit of graffiti really makes you think: This actually makes sense, LOL: And, it seems, there was a meetup of people named Ryan: This guy's daughter told him they "only had a little milk left in the fridge": This woman tried — and failed — to add an item to her shopping list: And this is the sign a gym puts out when the janitor cleans the woman's bathroom: Danger! Man inside! It seems this family really, really, REALLY doesn't want anyone messing with their chair: This wife is petrified of slugs, so when one came in the house, she went a little overboard: And this guy was having such a slow day at the warehouse that he decided to see how many milk crates he could stack: Looks to me like he's got 21 stacked there. Not bad! This shoe store employee used rubber boots to create this, and if you ask me it was time well spent: Whoever the heck is responsible for this wrote the most accurate fortune possible: And the wife seen here (or NOT seen here) is basically camouflage: This "rat ate the cake" cake is just too funny: This license plate (NOT a vanity plate) that some poor driver was issued has me cackling like a junior high student: Of course it was New Jersey, LOL. And this fish pulled off the most epic photobomb in the history of aquatic life: Also, kudos to this seagull for successfully swiping a sandwich: This grandma mistaking her iPad for a cutting board is just wild: This salt someone found in their grandma's cupboard — that expired in 1965! — is even wilder: But this grandma giving this tin of cookies to her family REALLY takes the cake: This eye doctor's bathroom has a hilariously on-point sign: This bathroom has helpful notes on the door lock: And this bathroom has a pogo-plunger for those REALLY backed up toilets, LOLOLOLOL: It took me way too long to realize the drawing on the back of this gardening truck is not of two people sticking their butts hands holding soil: This employee really, REALLY hates that her company's name tags only use an initial for the last name: And this Republican's name is just a little too on the nose: Dutch is a magical language that this dumb American has no hope of EVER learning: This person's flight sounds unintentionally pornographic: And speaking of unintentionally pornographic, this pumpkin was made by a mom who tried to glue vampire teeth onto it: Someone, I imagine, was pretty proud of themselves for this one: Oh man! Imagine getting into this cabbie's Alternatively, you could get a ride from this very sassy grandma Lyft driver (who drives with a parrot): It reads:"FIRST AND FOREMOST, MY GRANDS AND GREATS RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE! BE CONSIDERATE OF THAT! I HAVE FAMILY AND I'M RAISING A GREAT THAT NEEDS ME! BE SURE I GET HOME SAFE TO HER AND MY FAMILY! I DON'T CARRY MONEY OR REAL JEWELS! IF YOU CARJACK ME WRECK IT GOOD! I WANT A NEW ONE!DO NOT TOUCH OR CUSS AROUND MY PARROT! I WILL PUT YOU OUT! I DON'T TOUCH YOUR KIDS AND I DON'T TEACH YOUR KIDS TO CUSS, DON'T TEACH MINE!NO SMOKING, VAPING, SMOKING POT, OR SNORTING/SMOKING DOPE! THIS ISN'T YOUR HOOKAH ROOM! OR TRAP HOUSE!NO SPRAYING PERFUME, DOING YOUR HAIR AND MAKEUP (I don't want your hair all over the place and other customers don't want to get in to your hair all over them), SPRAYING HAIR SPRAY OR COLOGNE! THIS ISN'T YOUR BATHROOM!NO SEX OR MAKING OUT. THIS ISN'T YOUR HOOKER ROOM/HOTEL EATING OR DRINKING IN MY CAR! I PROVIDE WATER FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE! THIS ISN'T YOUR DINER! And I can translate all of this to you in Spanish. If you can't be respectful, I will gladly accommodate you with another driver." This pun-tastic comment gets an A+ from me: This is a present from a husband to his plant-loving he probably should have looked a little closer at it: These punsters need to get a room: As do these two live ones: And folks, you can't convince me these wasps didn't know what they were doing when they built their nest THERE: HT: r/funny
