Singapore-based video-streaming platform Spuul says it is looking at creating its own digital content in India apart from aggregating content from movies and television channels.

“Aggregation of content is important to us. But we are also looking to invest in creating our own content,” Rajiv Vaidya, CEO, Spuul India said.

Industry sources indicate that Spuul has so far invested about $6 million in the Indian market.

The company, which has a catalogue of about 900 movies and over 10,000 hours of television programming, said it also has tie-ups in place with Yash Raj Films and Anurag Kashyap Films for streaming movies online.

Founded by S Mohan and Sudesh Iyer in 2010 and launched publicly in April 2012, Spuul is a start-up that provides users with the latest Bollywood movies and Indian TV content online.

Vaidya said the company’s original aim was to provide Bollywood content to the Indian diaspora in overseas markets.

“About 60 per cent of our users are from India and the balance from markets such as Pakistan, Australia, the US and the UK,” he said.

Growing business

Movie streaming has been growing with players such as Hooq, Hotstar, Boxtv and Erosnow entering the business buoyed by growth of smartphones.

Most players operate in the ₹70-₹1,000 price bracket, depending on whether it is a pay-per-use or subscription-led model. Industry watchers note that the investment in technology and services is growing rapidly in the segment.

Vaidya also said the company is investing significantly in rolling out various services. He, however, did not divulge any details.

Asked if consumers were willing to pay for content, Vaidya said the market was moving towards a payment model as consumers are becoming more aware of quality content.

Spuul works on a subscription-led model. It also offers offline viewing.

“We see huge growth coming from mobile devices. Our offline viewing is aimed at consumers who don’t have to bear a high data cost,” Vaidya added.

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