Jon Snow came back to life in the latest season of Game of Thrones , Selina Meyer lost the American presidency in Veep and Richard Hendricks and his brand of maverick engineers are back to the drawing board in Silicon Valley . Unlike last year, I watched all these series on Hotstar, almost at the same time as they were aired in the US. A slew of streaming sites and apps ranging from Hotstar, Netflix, TVF, Vootand many others are changing the viewing experience in India, by ensuring that quality content can be accessed in an instant and you no longer have to search for torrents for the latest in television. On a normal high-speed Internet connection, you can watch the battle of bastards as it happens, complete with subtitles instead of being assailed by spoilers even as you search for the best torrent site. If someone would have told me two years ago, that I would be able to watch the latest episodes of these shows as they happen in the United States, I would have smirked at the suggestion. This was before Hotstar, Netflix and a clutch of sites had made their way into our tablets and phone. What are the reasons for the growing popularity of these apps? What does the future hold for such apps in India?
Software engineer Ranjana Chaube says, “Sites and apps such as Netflix and Hotstar are becoming popular because of the quality of their programming. Why should anyone spend quality time scrounging the web for safe torrents when you can watch the same episode on an app? You no longer have to be worried about your friends abroad assailing your social media feeds with spoilers.”
Marketing executive Mandeep K points out, “Though a lot of content that Hotstar and Voot provide is sourced from the standard fare in Indian channels, it also provides a host of newer shows. That has meant that a viewer gets a better choice and is no longer dependent on shady servers for accessing good content. Apps like TVF owe their success to outstanding series such as Permanent Roommates and Pitchers . They provide content that most people in their 20s and 30s can relate to. A lot of good YouTube channels producing good content end up making very successful apps. I do not mind shelling out some money for getting such content available at the click of a button.”
She adds, “This is the golden age of American television and one would always look at getting to watch the episode as quickly as possible. These apps let you get access to HD programming that you cannot find on torrents. No one wants to be a digital pirate. With high-speed Internet and 4G data plans on offer, streaming apps are the way ahead.”
Architect Rajan K.C. signed up for a Hotstar account only to catch the latest season of Game of Thrones . “I do not need to wait a day to watch an episode on TV that may be heavily censored. I can watch the original episode in good quality on Hotstar, complete with subtitles. As far as other streaming sites go, I subscribe if I like something they put up. It has ensured that I do not need to look for torrent sites.”
On a personal level, I was thrilled when Netflix first arrived in India, with their promise of good content for a small price. However, their India library is still nascent and they are facing a lot of competition from Indian streaming sites such as Hotstar, one that is bound to help the consumer.
