Guwahati: The first ever original Over The Top (OTT) NIRI 9 platform of Northeast India was launched on Monday after the recent surge in streaming of Assamese and regional language film on OTT platforms.
The app ‘NIRI 9’ is an Indian subscription video on demand (SVOD) streaming service which will produce fresh original content every week.
Renowned Assamese film personality Atul Pachoni launched the app along with other famous personalities of the region. The app was also broadcasted live on Facebook to share with millions of fans who have been waiting eagerly to it to arrive.
NIRI 9 is focusing on promoting multi-language content gathered from across states and country including Assamese, Hindi, Bengali, Bodo, Odiya among many others. It is currently available for Android and iOS. The subscription plans range from Rs. 199 for 3 months, Rs. 499 for 6 months and Rs. 999 for 12 months.
With a current list of more than 20 titles, including NIRI 9 original productions and productions from other neighboring states and countries, the on-demand service would also have movies, music, short films, animation, documentaries and docu-series.
The launch of this app begins a new day and a fresh start for Assamese entertainment industry, providing a much-needed platform and hope and excitement among the people of the region and the members of the industry, given the grim year, everyone went through.
Earlier, films from Assam and other north-eastern states hardly got any space in theatres as heavy-budget Bollywood films acquired most of the slots. But, with theatres closed due to the nationwide lockdown, the recent emergences of OTTs as a major medium of entertainment, has given a ray of hope to independent filmmakers.
OTTplatforms are encouraging the small-budget filmmakers, who earlier couldn’t even think of a theatrical release, to show their films to global audience. Though some of the widely appreciated films among them are screened in film festivals, viewers in general don’t get to watch them at theatres. But through OTT platforms, these filmmakers can reach out to a wide viewership.
On Netfilx, already several films from the region are streaming including ‘Village Rockstars’, ‘Bulbul Can Sing’, ‘Maj Rati Keteki’ and ‘III Smoking Barrels’
