Mumbai: The Head of Content for Disney+ Hotstar and Disney Star HSM Entertainment Network, Gaurav Banerjee, spoke at The Content Hub event held at The Lalit in Mumbai on April 25, 2023. During a fireside chat with Anil NM Wanvari, the founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief of Indiantelevision.com Group, Banerjee discussed the changing landscape of content consumption and how Disney+ Hotstar approaches content creation.
Banerjee shared his experience of working at Star in the early days of his career and talked about the evolution of television content over the years. He mentioned a program called Saas Bahu Aur Saazish that was being discussed and how it was considered strange to cover television shows as news. Banerjee also mentioned that the show has completed 20 years recently and is one of the markers of how the industry has changed over the years.
Banerjee said, “We're Storytellers to the Nation”. He stated that Disney+ Hotstar is focused on creating high-quality branded content for both television and streaming platforms. He emphasized that the company does not view the two platforms as competing mediums but rather as complementary distribution channels.
When asked about how Disney+ Hotstar balances the content shown on television and streaming platforms, Banerjee explained that the company focuses on creating great stories rather than the distribution medium leaving the choice of platform with the consumer. He also touched upon the importance of talent and how Disney+ Hotstar rationalizes its costs.
Banerjee responded to Wanvari's question about the rise of original content on streaming platforms by saying that In India, they produce around 20,000 hours of content on television every year in India, with over 90% of it being featured on Hotstar too. Despite this, they felt that as an expert business, they needed to establish a distinct brand for Hotstar that focused on high-quality storytelling separate from their television brands. Thus, they launched Hotstar Specials four years ago, and have invested heavily in shows like Rudra, Criminal Justice, and the biggest shows in partnership with Applause. This has resulted in a significant increase in the quality of the platform’s content, with the goal of creating exclusive content that people will believe is worth paying for.
On Disney Star’s regional content strategy, Banerjee stated that regional content is critical to their growth in India. The company recognized early on that expanding its content strategy to multiple languages, not just Hindi, was necessary to drive significant growth in India. As a result, they scaled up the teams and presence in each of these languages, with strong number one or close number two TV channels in all the major regional markets. Disney Star continues to invest heavily in building them into massive storytelling forces. They are currently working to create a similar presence and aura on Disney+ Hotstar, as they have already expanded the programming from predominantly Hindi to four different languages. They are incredibly proud of the diverse content that Disney+ Hotstar is creating in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam, among others.
Banerjee highlighted the achievements of original content in Tamil, such as "November Story," "Kana Kaanum Kalangal"; "Parampara," and "Jhansi" in Telugu. Additionally, "Bigg Boss," has been produced in multiple languages, including Malayalam, where Disney+ Hotstar has seen success by acquiring features such as "Mukundan Unni Associates," "Malikappuram," "Romancham".
In discussing longevity, Banerjee highlighted the success of their renowned show, "Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai," which has aired over 4000 episodes across a span of 13 years. He expressed his admiration for the show's phenomenal performance, consistently ranking among the top five and top ten shows in the country for over a decade. The shows they work with are incredible, filled with love, excitement, energy, and a commitment to storytelling that excites him.
Regarding "Anupama," Banerjee noted that their goal was to change the usual formula of shows anchored around women and their married lives, with protagonists generally in their 30s. They aimed to tell the story of a mother who tries to balance a series of challenges and responsibilities that come her way every day, and how she overcomes feeling unappreciated for not having a professional existence outside of her home. The show's objective was for everyone to relate to the story, find some inspiration for self-improvement, and see that the person on the screen is someone who could be in their house or vicinity, possibly their mother.
