An analysis by Ormax Media of streaming rights for India’s top theatrical films of 2025 points to an increasingly competitive OTT marketplace, but one still led decisively by Netflix, which commands the largest share of post-theatrical digital premieres across languages.

The study, released yesterday by Ormax, is based on 126 theatrical releases that each recorded over one million footfalls in India and underlines that big-screen films remain a key driver of subscriber acquisition for subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platforms.

At an all-India level, Netflix leads the market with a 36 percent share of streaming rights for these films. It is followed by JioHotstar, Amazon Prime Video and ZEE5, each holding double-digit shares, reflecting a broader shift away from the earlier duopolistic dominance of Netflix and Prime Video.

Language-wise trends show a stark divergence. In Hindi cinema, Netflix has strengthened its dominance, accounting for 57 percent of streaming rights for original Hindi-language theatrical films in 2025, up from 50 percent the previous year. This indicates a growing dependence of Hindi film producers on a single major buyer in the premium pricing segment.

In contrast, the market for South-language films (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada) is far more competitive. JioHotstar, ZEE5 and Amazon Prime Video all emerge as significant players, alongside Netflix, creating a multi-platform bidding environment for streaming rights.

The study confirms that non-Hindi language films form a substantial part of the analysis, with five key languages (Hindi plus four South languages) accounting for 109 out of the 126 titles examined. These non-Hindi films drive competitive intensity in the OTT rights market, unlike Hindi films where platform concentration remains high.

Sector-wise insights further highlight the role of theatrical films as premium content for OTT platforms. Despite high acquisition costs, such films consistently outperform original streaming content in attracting new subscribers, reinforcing their strategic importance for SVOD services.

The report also points to a distinct niche within the ecosystem: international theatrical titles released in India. Of 12 such films analysed, 10 are available on JioHotstar, giving it an 83 percent share in this segment and boosting its overall market presence.

Overall, the findings suggest that while the Hindi film segment remains heavily skewed towards a single dominant platform, the broader Indian streaming rights market — particularly for South-language and international films — has evolved into a more balanced and competitive arena, improving bargaining power for producers and studios.