SAN FRANCISCO (Diya TV) — In a bid to corner the streaming-video market in India, Netflix have inked a deal with Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, and his Red Chillies Entertainment production company.
The agreement grants Netflix global streaming rights to the films in Red Chillies’ library, as well as any new movies from the production house that are slated for theatrical release within the next three years. The first title to hit the platform will be Khan’s newly released romance Dear Zindagi. Others, including Happy New Year, Dilwale, and Om Shanti Om, will follow, Netflix said.
Sometimes referred to as King Khan, the 51-year-old is widely considered the most popular movie star in the world. However, he’s still fairly unknown among Western audiences, but that hasn’t stopped Netflix from believing Khan can help them win over international viewers.
The deal comes as competition in the streaming-video space heats up in India, which could bring more than half a billion people—and potential subscribers—online by 2020. Amazon rolled out its rival Prime Video platform in the country earlier this week, at a lower price point than Netflix, which entered the market in January.
Both companies have begun attempted to court Indian subscribers by going after regional productions. Netflix has picked up local art-house projects, as well as a handful of Bollywood and regional language titles, as the Hollywood Reporter noted. And Amazon has landed deals with major Indian studios including Dharma Productions and Vishesh Films.
