Karnataka to launch OTT platform by January 2026

Eighteen months aft Sadhu Kokila, president of the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy, announced the motorboat of Karnataka’s ain Over The Top (OTT) platform, the tract is apt to go operational by the past week of January 2026, erstwhile the curtains spell up for the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes).

Namma Karnataka

In June 2024, during the inauguration of Karnataka Film Producers’ Association (KFPA), Sadhu had announced the motorboat of Namma Karnataka, a determination OTT platform. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who was contiguous astatine the event, lauded the thought that ensured determination films received attraction and appreciation.

Sadhu clarified this level would beryllium dedicated to ocular contented created successful Kannada, Tulu, Kodava Byari and different languages successful the State. Namma Chalanachitra, a website would beryllium launched to make consciousness astir Namma Karnataka which would besides diagnostic movie posters, trailers and different promotional content.

In an exclusive speech with The Hindu, Mehboob Pasha, president of Sree Kanteerava Studios, which has undertaken the Namma Karnataka initiative, said, “Karnataka’s ain OTT level volition beryllium launched by the past week of January. The Government of Karnataka has taken steps to make this region-specific OTT level and reserved ₹5 crore for the intent successful the fund presented successful March 2025.”

A 10-member sheet was tasked with preparing an outline for the OTT platform. Headed by the Commissioner of the Department of Information and Public Relations, it included the likes of Sadhu Kokila, movie shaper KP Srikanth, Rockline Venkatesh, histrion Duniya Vijay and Mehboob among others. The sheet which studied the functioning of akin sites, submitted broad reports connected the improvement of the OTT level to the government.

COVID-19 and the emergence of OTT platforms

Mehboob, who projected the thought to the State government, says helium has his reasons for championing the origin of an exclusive OTT level for Kannada content. “As galore arsenic 20 OTT platforms based retired of Mumbai and Noida were launched during the pandemic; they reshaped the amusement manufacture by providing consumers with unprecedented power and flexibility successful contented consumption.”

“However, determination connection contented was overlooked. To interruption this monopoly, a fewer State governments had taken it upon themselves to motorboat their ain streaming platforms to level the playing grounds; I thought I would bash the aforesaid for Karnataka,” helium says.

ALSO READ: State to motorboat OTT level to beforehand Kannada cinema globally: Mehaboob Pasha

Due to aggregate challenges, Kannada big-budget cinema inactive prioritises theatrical merchandise implicit OTT with the second being perceived arsenic a secondary option. Existing platforms specified arsenic Nammaflix, Cinebazar, Voot Kannada, Talkies App and Localwood, look stiff contention from established OTT majors, a deficiency of funding, a barebones catalogue and a patchy idiosyncratic interface. According to amusement adept Chetan Nadig, “Growth successful diaspora demand, particularly successful the USA, Australia and Gulf countries, could thrust concern successful a State government-owned OTT platform”.

The Kerala government, successful concern with the Kerala State Film Development Corporation, launched India’s first-ever government-owned OTT streaming work past March. Named CSpace, the level operates connected a pay-per-view basis, with users paying ₹75 to ticker a film.

Taking a cue from Kerala, Meghalaya launched its government-sponsored OTT level Hello Meghalaya past July to beforehand young talent.

However, dissimilar CSpace, Mehboob says Namma Karnataka volition travel a subscription model. “There volition besides beryllium a ticketed exemplary for caller releases. This level volition not lone merchandise Kannada movies, but besides surface documentaries and works connected creation and culture.”

A contented examining committee volition vet the movies, and erstwhile cleared, a communal statement connected gross sharing volition beryllium signed with the shaper earlier it is released connected the platform. “The gross volition beryllium shared with producers based connected viewership, ensuring that filmmakers, artistes, technicians and caller endowment benefit,” adds Mehboob.

“We are readying to nutrient films and web-series astatine Kanteerava Studio, which has the required instrumentality truthful we tin negociate the accumulation cost; this volition payment autarkic filmmakers greatly. There are a repository of films successful the archives which we program to surface based connected demand,” says Mehboob.

Needless to say, having a State-owned OTT platform, volition make employment to thousands of radical successful the amusement industry, helium adds.