JioStar's Alok Jain, Krishnan Kutty call for creative, commercial reset in Indian entertainment

Time of India

5 hours ago

JioStar
Entertainment leaders
Alok Jain
and
Krishnan Kutty
have called for a reset of the Indian entertainment industry's business model, emphasizing the need for profitability and a sharper focus on youth to ensure long-term sustainability.
Speaking at the Asia Pacific Video Operators Summit (APOS) 2025 in Bali, hosted by Media Partners Asia (MPA), Jain, President – Entertainment at JioStar, and Kutty, Head of Cluster, Entertainment – South, shared their views during a session titled 'Inside the Next Wave of Indian Storytelling', moderated by MPA Co-Founder Vivek Couto.
Jain underlined the need to rebuild the creative ecosystem. 'In a country as creatively diverse as India, it's no longer about scaling content. It's about resetting the creative ecosystem,' he said. 'If the industry is to run in a sustainable manner, we must drive content profitably, and focusing on youth is a big part of that.'
He added that JioStar is committed to ensuring creators are not confined by platforms, formats, or legacy structures. 'Our role is not to act as gatekeepers, but as collaborators. That's how we grow the ecosystem and expand its impact.'
Kutty spoke about how the definition of bold content has evolved over time. 'What was considered bold five or six years ago is not what's considered bold now. Today, boldness is about pushing societal norms, asking deeper questions, and doing it within the Indian context. We're not in California. We're in India, and we need to be rooted in our cultural values.'
Addressing changing audience expectations, Jain said, 'If the story isn't great, they won't watch, regardless of who stars in it.' He cited the success of 'Thukra Ke Mera Pyaar', a show with a debut director and cast, to illustrate how strong storytelling can drive engagement. 'Innovation isn't a tactic for us. It's the baseline.'
On attracting Gen Z audiences, Kutty pointed to a gap in current programming. 'Broadcasters and streamers have not done enough for Gen Z. In the South, we are committed to increasing our programming volume for that audience by seven to ten times.'
He also highlighted India's regional diversity as a creative strength. 'Every region offers a wealth of stories. Eighty percent of Malayalam content consumption on JioHotstar comes from outside Kerala. Great stories truly transcend borders.'
Kutty expanded on the vast scale of India's digital video market. 'India has 500 to 600 million users consuming four to five hours of content daily across all formats. The real challenge isn't what to do, but what not to do. There's significant headroom for both subscription and ad growth.'
JioStar, he added, is backing stories rooted in universal human themes. 'Identity, aspiration, family, and justice. These are the kinds of narratives that connect deeply and scale widely.'
Kutty also raised concerns about the current streaming economics. 'Producers have become B2B entities, creating for platforms instead of consumers. That has led to a disconnect. Unless the model is reset, I believe it's deeply broken.'
Turning to the theatrical business, Jain spoke about shifting audience behavior. 'Every industry goes through phases of change, and the theatrical space is no different. We've been in a difficult period where people aren't coming to theatres unless the movie is really, really good.'
He continued, 'Creators need to tell more authentic stories, and theatre owners must reinvent, whether through pricing, experience, or value delivery. Watching a film today means a three-hour commitment, and that's a big ask. Theatrical viewing needs to feel like an experience, not just a screening.'
Jain also commented on the scale of India's content ecosystem. 'TV and digital coexist, with 800 million viewers on the JioStar network and 400 million on JioHotstar.'
With more than 320,000 hours of content across multiple languages, Jain said the common thread is human emotion and shared experience. 'That emotional truth is what allows Indian content to scale and even travel globally.'