.png)
At a time when streaming giants are prioritizing original content production, the strategy appears to be effective, albeit with slightly weaker results compared to last year. Notably, Netflix has taken the lead in the Hindi direct-to-OTT films category in 2024, securing the top two spots on the list of most-watched Hindi films, as revealed by Ormax Media’s “Streaming Originals in India – Mid-Year Review” report.
In the Hindi films category, the biographical drama "Amar Singh Chamkila," directed by Imtiaz Ali and featuring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra, ranked first with 12.9 million views. Following closely was Homi Adajania’s mystery thriller "Murder Mubarak," featuring Pankaj Tripathi, Sara Ali Khan, Vijay Varma, and Karisma Kapoor, with 12.2 million views. This report encompasses original shows and films released from January to June 2024. However, it’s noteworthy that during the same period last year, the top spots were occupied by "Bloody Daddy," starring Shahid Kapoor, and the family drama "Gulmohar," with 16.6 million and 16.3 million views, respectively. This suggests a decrease in viewership for Hindi original films this year.
Other notable Hindi films in this year's list include "Ae Watan Mere Watan" on Prime Video with 11.5 million views, "Maharaj" on Netflix with 10.6 million views, "Patna Shukla" on Hotstar with 9.8 million views, "Bhakshak" on Netflix with 8.9 million views, "Sharmajee Ki Beti" on Prime Video with 7.6 million views, "Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout" on Zee5 with 7.3 million views, "Kaam Chalu Hai" on Zee5 with 4.9 million views, "House Of Lies" on Prime Video with 4.9 million views, and "Blackout" on JioCinema with 4.9 million views.
Unlike the 2023 mid-year review, Ormax included an analysis of the top original shows and films in Telugu and Tamil languages for the first half of 2024.
In the Telugu category, Prime Video’s animated sci-fi comedy miniseries "Bujji and Bhairava," which serves as a prelude to the film "Kalki 2898 AD," topped the list with 4.9 million viewers. ETV Win's drama series "90’s – A Middle Class Biopic" came in second with 3.8 million viewers. Other notable Telugu shows and films include "Miss Perfect" on Hotstar with 3.1 million views, "Special Investigation Team – SIT" on Zee5 with 2.8 million views, "Bhamakalapam 2" on Aha with 2.7 million views, "Indian Idol Telugu S2" on Aha with 2.4 million views, "Yakshini" on Hotstar with 2.3 million views, "Sarkaar S4" on Aha with 1.9 million views, "My Dear Donga" on Aha with 1.7 million views, "MasterChef India Telugu S2" on SonyLIV with 1.5 million views, and "Paruvu" on Zee5 with 1.5 million views.
In the Tamil category, Prime Video’s horror crime drama series "Inspector Rishi" topped the list with 4.9 million views. Hotstar’s medical drama "Heart Beat" followed with 3.3 million views. Other notable Tamil shows and films include "Uppu Puli Kaaram" on Hotstar with 2.9 million views, "Pon Ondru Kanden" on JioCinema with 2.4 million views, "MasterChef India Tamil S2" on SonyLIV with 1.5 million views, "Thalaimai Seyalagam" on Zee5 with 1.2 million views, "Cheran’s Journey" on SonyLIV with 1.1 million views, and "Sevappi" on Aha with 0.9 million views.
In terms of marketing buzz, "Murder Mubarak" led the Hindi films category, followed by "Ae Watan Mere Watan." In content strength, "Amar Singh Chamkila" was the most liked Hindi movie, with "Maharaj" in second place. In Telugu and Tamil, "90’s – A Middle Class Biopic" and "Inspector Rishi" led their respective lists.
Also read: Karan Aujla Announces India Leg Of 'It Was All A Dream World Tour'
