Amazon is employing a dual-platform strategy in India, operating Prime Video and Amazon MX Player in parallel to compete in a complex local streaming market landscape. The approach, detailed by the company at the APOS Convention, aims to address the varied content needs of Indian consumers.
Gaurav Gandhi, VP, Asia Pacific & MENA, Amazon Prime Video, stated that the two platforms cover the market spectrum. ‘Prime Video is for those who have made conscious choice to have subscription entertainment’, while ‘MX player for those not yet committed’ to a subscription.
Amazon MX Player: AVOD focus and mobile-first strategy
Amazon MX Player distinguishes itself by curating exclusively for the AVOD market. Amogh Dusad, Director and Head of Content for Amazon MX Player, confirmed that the platform’s primary task is ‘creating engagement’.
Originally developed by South Korea’s J2 Interactive as a multimedia player, MX Player was relaunched as an India-specific streamer by Times Internet before Amazon acquired majority control in October last year. MX Player’s original shows include Aashram, Dharavi Bank, and Campus Diaries, and it carries imported Korean, Mandarin, and Turkish titles dubbed into local Indian languages.
The platform operates with a mobile-first focus, although users can now access content through mobile apps, Amazon‘s shopping app, Prime Video, Fire TV, and connected TVs. MX Player is also expected to be the company’s vehicle for its push into Chinese-style micro-dramas, targeting consumers with short attention spans, such as commuters. Dusad noted that creating micro-dramas requires unlearning traditional methods and developing different screenplays, requiring innovation.
Prime Video: premium originals and theatrical commitment
Prime Video targets premium content, emphasizing series and movies. Nikhil Madhok, Head of Originals, India, stated that Prime Video requires its Indian content to be as compelling as the international content on the platform.
Madhok used the APOS stage to reaffirm Amazon‘s commitment to backing original feature movies in India that will first receive offline theatrical releases. The crime drama Nishaanchi, directed by Anurag Kashyap, is the first such film and is scheduled to open in theaters in September. Amazon expects to follow this model with 4–6 films next year. This evolution is driven by an attempt to address a pan-Indian audience through dubbing and subtitling in multiple languages. Madhok expressed excitement about this new phase, stating, ‘What I’m most excited about is what we’re doing now as part of Amazon MGM Studios, where we are creating our own very exciting, movie slate’.
