India’s entertainment future: Global ties and a US$ 6 bn opportunity

Shrankhla Verma | May 2, 2025

India’s entertainment industry stands at a critical turning point. A new report by DishTV and C21Media reveals that with the right global collaborations, creator-driven content, and tech adoption, India could unlock $6 billion in untapped value by 2030. Despite a massive OTT user base, the country’s global content footprint remains limited. The key to scaling lies in aligning with international trends, leveraging technology, and moving from local-first to globally relevant storytelling.

Image credit: Freepik

The Indian entertainment industry has a massive opportunity to unlock US$ 6 billion in unrealized value by 2030. According to a new report titled “The Future Of The Indian Entertainment Business In Partnership With The World,” released by DishTV and C21Media in collaboration with Allied Global Marketing, India can achieve this by reimagining its entertainment ecosystem for the global stage. This transformation requires strong international partnerships, the rise of creator-led ecosystems, and a deeper embrace of technology like artificial intelligence and virtual production.

Although India already has a massive OTT user base of over 551 million people, its revenue from this segment stands at just US$ 2.1 billion. This figure falls significantly short of what the market could achieve. For comparison, countries like South Korea and Spain have successfully scaled their content industries globally by promoting authentic, culturally-rooted storytelling that resonates with international audiences. While India has produced international hits such as RRR, Pathaan, and Kantara, these remain isolated successes. The industry has yet to establish a consistent pipeline of global content exports.

Jamie Crick from Allied Global Marketing, speaking at the launch summit, stated that India has the potential to grow its entertainment sector to US$ 15 billion by 2030. To do that, the industry must move away from a local-first mindset and reposition itself as a global content hub. Achieving this goal will require more than just ambition. It will demand international collaborations, a strategic realignment of content, and widespread adoption of emerging technologies.

Challenges in India’s Content Strategy

One of the biggest gaps lies in the mismatch between what audiences want and what producers deliver. Comedy is the most preferred genre among Indian viewers, with 30% of viewers naming it their favorite. Yet, only 10% of premium content falls into this category. On the flip side, 60% of new releases are in the drama or thriller genre, which does not align with audience demand.

Another challenge is a misreading of viewer behavior. Though India is often described as a mobile-first market, the popularity of connected TV is rising, largely driven by family co-viewing habits. Additionally, YouTube accounts for 92% of all video viewing minutes in the country, but most OTT platforms continue to cater primarily to individual, urban viewers.

The third major gap lies in India’s limited global content pipeline. While Indian productions have occasionally made waves internationally, there is no structured export mechanism. Unlike South Korea, which has built a robust system for global content dissemination, India continues to see global success as an exception rather than a norm.

Recommended Steps for Global Growth

To address these issues and unlock new value, the report offers several key recommendations:

Position India as a Global Production Partner India has a natural advantage in terms of lower production costs compared to Western countries. The growing demand for cost-effective, high-quality content production presents an opportunity. By highlighting its affordability and increasing use of technologies like AI and virtual production, India can attract more global content collaborations.
Tap into the Indian Diaspora Effectively With over 35 million Indians living abroad, many of whom are affluent and culturally connected, the diaspora represents an underused asset. The report suggests moving beyond nostalgia-driven storytelling to offer genres like thrillers and sci-fi that have broader global appeal.
Adopt Advanced Technologies Widely Indian studios currently lag in tech adoption, with only 24% using AI tools. In contrast, 76% of U.S. studios have already integrated AI into their workflows. Studios like Digikore have shown that using AI in post-production can significantly improve efficiency. Embracing such technologies will help India compete at a global level in terms of speed and scale.

Executing the Vision

The report emphasizes that India has all the ingredients to become one of the top three global content economies by 2030: talent, market size, and cost advantage. However, achieving this will depend on execution. Shifting from sporadic success to a structured strategy is essential.

DishTV CEO Manoj Dobhal noted, “The Indian entertainment business is already a global force. With the right partnerships and infrastructure, it can become a production and storytelling powerhouse on its own terms.”

David Jenkinson, founder of C21Media and editor of the report, added, “India has the opportunity to lead the next phase of global entertainment—if it acts quickly and strategically. The upside is too large to ignore.”

India’s entertainment sector stands at a pivotal moment. The road to US$ 15 billion in value is achievable, but only if the industry adapts its strategies, embraces technology, and builds global partnerships. The foundation is already in place. Now it’s time to act.