ErosNow to offer original content

The online entertainment network will also air Bollywood movies, prior to their television release.

Eros International has officially launched ErosNow, its online entertainment platform, and showcased its upcoming content line-up.

Foremost among a series of 'game-changing' initiatives is the premiere of latest Bollywood blockbusters such as 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns', 'Badlapur', 'NH10', 'Shamitabh' and 'Happy Ending' on the ErosNow platform, straight from the cinemas and even prior to their television release.

ErosNow already hosts the largest library of films as well as premium television shows, music videos and audio tracks. The 'Bolo Kya Dekhoge?' promise allows viewers to watch what they want, when they want on any internet-connected device such as laptops, tablets or smartphones. Over 19 million registered users have already signed up to ErosNow during its pre-launch phase, the company shared.

Building on its strength as a film studio in creating and producing film intellectual property, and leveraging its relationship with talent within the film fraternity, ErosNow will be producing in-house flagship original programming too. These are set to be high-quality, cutting-edge shows with film-like production values, targetted at young Indians, the largest demographic of the Indian population.

According to the company, the online space is unfettered by the restrictions that constrain television programming and oblige them to maximise television rating points, so consumers can expect never-seen-before content across several genres that include reality shows, adaptations of hit international series, and original productions spanning drama, comedy and thrillers. Like in Hollywood, full seasons of these shows and series will be available for binge-watching, exclusively on ErosNow.

ErosNow will roll out its original content strategy with three shows - 'Khel', a wicked, dark drama featuring an insider's perspective on the twisted characters that populate the world of cricket and the Indian Premiere League, directed by Karan Anshuman; 'The Client', a stylish, edgy, action-packed thriller starring Bipasha Basu as the protagonist, to be directed by Rohan Sippy and 'Ponniyin Selvan', a period drama based on a popular Tamil historical novel by Kalki Krishnamurthy, which is an in-house production by Eros South.

ErosNow will also co-produce the Indian adaptation of a popular international sitcom with Anil Kapoor Film Company (AKFC), which already has the hit Hollywood series, '24', under its belt.

Jyoti Deshpande, group CEO and MD, Eros International Plc, says, "Having conquered the big screen, we set our sights on something even bigger and newer. We are poised to take advantage of the briskly growing broadband penetration and the imminent launch of 4G technology to reach out to the potential audience offered by close to a billion mobile connections. As consumption patterns change globally, internet entertainment networks have begun to rapidly replace traditional, linear television. It's our turn now. And, I believe that Eros will have the first-mover advantage in this space, with the strength of its vast content library and dominant market share to further consolidate its leadership position as it reinvents itself from a film studio to a more consumer-facing content and digital company in the next phase of growth."

Rishika Lulla Singh, CEO, Eros Digital, adds, "I am very proud to say that ErosNow has garnered over 19 million registered users in its pre-launch phase. Now we want to drive our subscriber growth, with the launch of our marketing campaign to promote our ground-breaking online premieres before television. I believe ErosNow will differentiate itself not only by windowing premieres, but also by the distinctive quality of its original shows. We have built in house our state-of-the-art technological platform that offers a world-class consumer experience, along with exclusive and compelling content."