As streaming gains traction in India, one of India's biggest content acquisition and distribution companies Shemaroo is stepping into the ring itself. On Friday, it announced ShemarooMe, a streaming service slated for launch in the first quarter of 2019, with the vague promise of delivering “premium, engaging content to its consumers through user-friendly, exclusive, multi-genre platforms that suits the needs of every Indian”. ShemarooMe will focus on Bollywood, regional, and devotional content.
Though Shemaroo is being short on actual details regarding its new streaming service ShemarooMe, you can (hopefully) expect to see most, if not all, of the film slate it owns — a library that spans 2,500 titles in total. That includes contemporary films such as Padmaavat, 102 Not Out, Pad Man, and Drishyam in addition to classic films in Mughal-E-Azam, Pyaasa, Shree 420, Mera Naam Joker, Anand, and Amar Akbar Anthony among others.
Usually, a distributor launching its own platform is bad news for viewers as it means their content could end up being exclusive to their service. Disney plans to do that with the launch of Disney+, for instance. But Shemaroo's announcement suggests that might not be the case, as it says it will use the launch of ShemarooMe to expand its “digital business through strategic partnerships to offer exciting content across multiple platforms”. That sounds like its films will still be available elsewhere. Gadgets 360 has reached out for clarification.
“The name ShemarooMe is essentially about expressing one's individuality,” Hiren Gada, Shemaroo Entertainment CEO said in a statement. “Indian consumers today are assertive about their choices and a similar trend can be noticed in the entertainment space as well. ShemarooMe caters to these audiences who are proud to voice their preferences. With this insight, we intend to touch the hearts of our audiences spanning across metros and Tier 2 and 3 cities.”
