Ultra Media & Entertainment Group, a trailblazer in home entertainment and digital content launched its two OTT platforms, Ultra Play and Ultra Gaane, marking a historic milestone in their journey. Targeting a total of 5 million subscribers between both these OTTs within the first year of its launch, Ultra presents both these platforms in a unique way.
MI talks with Sushilkumar Agrawal, CEO, Ultra Media & Entertainment Group, a first-generation entrepreneur who serves as the Chairman and Managing Director of Ultra Media & Entertainment Private Ltd. Sushil embarked on his career in 1979 by establishing a chemical factory focused on manufacturing Agrochemicals. In 1993, he ventured into entertainment field by acquiring music rights and marketing audio cassettes. This venture led to the successful launch of Ultra’s music division, ULTRA MUSIC.
In today’s conversation, he talks about campaigns, the latest trend,s and more. Let’s read the excerpts:
Q) Tell us about the OTT Platforms “Ultra Play” & “Ultra Gaane”.
Sushilkumar: We launched Ultra Play and Ultra Gane earlier this month. The platforms are unique, while Ultra Play is India’s first Hindi only OTT platform. It offers 2000 classic films meticulously curated from Bollywood’s golden era. Ultra Play is designed to deliver wholesome entertainment for the entire family, bringing timeless stories and legendary films, a curated selection of classic films, iconic TV serials, and exclusive archival content from Ultra’s extensive library, select remastered films for the modern audience.
Also read: Ultra Play OTT rolls out a new campaign ‘Har Pal Filmy’ reviving nostalgia of yesteryear Hindi Cinema
Ultra Gaane is a unique OTT platform dedicated to the visual splendour of Hindi cinema’s greatest hits. With the tagline ‘Dekh Ke Suno,’ Ultra Gaane offers over 4,000 classic songs from the 60s to the 90s. Additionally, the platform supports contemporary independent artists, blending the old with the new.
Q) Tell us about the content lineups.
Sushilkumar: We have already offered around 2000 movies in this year. Every month some additions will be there. The digitization and restoration process is going on. It will be all classics including Gurudutt, Devanand, Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, and many more. The platform will also showcase all new films under celebrated banner Subhash Ghai, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, etc. from the years 2020 – 2024. We are also hoping to add web-series also in the future.
Q) What are the latest campaigns?
Sushilkumar: Yes, periodically, there will be different campaigns. We have launched our flagship campaign ‘Har Pal Filmy’. We are making a lot of videos for the campaign and gradually launch them.
Q) Tell us about Ultra Jhakaas. How is the platform currently doing after the launch in 2023?
Sushilkumar: We have received a very good response for Ultra Jhakas. We have 7 lakh downloads so far. Now, we have made the platform completely subscription based. The platform is a dedicated Marathi. There are films, dramas, and TV series. People are happy with the quality of the content we are providing.
Q) Comment on the competition.
Sushilkumar: We are not competing with other channels. Our content is unique in nature. We have Ultra Jhakas for Marathi people. We have Ultra Filmy and Ultra Play with exclusive Hindi content and Ultra Gaane for classics and general songs.
Q) What do you think about the regional content?
Sushilkumar: Regional content is picking up the entire market very well. If you see other regional channels, like Bangla, Tamil, Telugu, and more, they all are working well. This is the reason we launched our platforms exclusively in Marathi and Hindi. In the future, we may launch some other language.
Q) How’s the industry witnessing the latest trends?
Sushilkumar: Currently, digital media is on the boom and it will gradually increase because of the penetration of broadband in the B and C-class cities. However, there are some broadband issues that the government is considering resolving. Other mediums like theatre and satellite will still be present.
Q) What are the changes in consumer behaviour?
Sushilkumar: Consumer behaviour has changed because of mobile mushrooming. People want something handy to entertain themselves, where they can see a 15 minutes video and then move to their chores. But if you see the older people, like 50 and above, they still tune into television for entertainment and news.
Also read: Cloud TV Announces Partnership with India Today Group, Saregama, Fancode, and Ultra Jhakaas
Q) What’s next in the industry in regard to technology?
Sushilkumar: People are talking about AI. But AI’s help in the entertainment industry, especially content creation and production, will take time. So it will take another 5-7 years before AI is totally presented properly in the market. Right now, it’s digitalization that is happening with mobile and the internet.
Q) Insights into the future of Indian content in international markets.
Sushilkumar: Content will always be the king. People coming up with new ideas, and adopting new systems, I think the future looks good. People are making good content, irrespective of its form (short and long) and medium. Each content is accepted in the market and there is a good future for content creation.
