Mubi India Launched

The US Head Quartered film specialist streaming platform Mubi launched on Friday 15th November’19 in India with two channels, The users will be able to select from a variety of films through two channels — MUBI India and MUBI World. American curated film streaming service MUBI has been officially launched in India. It is a distributor and subscription-based streaming OTT service that offers online streaming of a hand-curated selection of films, including those produced in-house. It also houses a film database and an online magazine known as The Notebook.

Originally called The Auteurs, MUBI was founded in 2007 by Turkish-born entrepreneur Efe Çakarel as a social network for cinephiles, with an interface specifically geared towards aesthetic design and simplicity. Çakarel says that he began work on the business model for MUBI after being unable to watch In the Mood for Love online while in a café in Tokyo. In 2010, the company adopted the new name MUBI.

MUBI usually has thirty movies in its available paid streaming service. Each day they add a new movie and each day they take one away. The streaming platform offers a collection of hand-picked films, introducing a new film every day, with the selection being guided by local culture and cinema.

Two Channels: MUBI INDIA & MUBI WORLD

MUBI launched in India with 2 basic channels, The users will be able to select from a variety of films through two channels — MUBI India and MUBI World.

MUBI INDIA will bring local cinema to the users every day, including Kamal Swaroop’s cult film “Om Dar-B-Dar”, Kanu Behl’s “Binnu Ka Sapna”, and the critically acclaimed, ghost film, “Duvidha” from Indian art-house master Mani Kaul.

For Mubi India, a channel dedicated exclusively to Indian cinema, the streamer has inked partnerships with several distributors including the National Film Development Corporation, Shemaroo, PVR Pictures, Ultra, and FilmKaravan.

“I’m thrilled we have launched a dedicated channel for Indian cinema as it means that film lovers can now watch amazing films like ‘Salaam Bombay’ and ‘Andaz Apna Apna’, alongside globally renowned gems like ‘Moonlight’,” producer Guneet Monga, who joined MUBI as a content advisor in September, said in a statement.

MUBI WORLD will introduce one new film from around the globe each day.
Titles playing include Asif Kapadia’s “Amy”, Steve McQueen’s powerful and multi Oscar-winning “12 Years a Slave” and “A Bigger Splash”. The service is available to stream and download on the web, mobile devices, Smart TVs and streaming sticks.

Subscription Plans in India

There were two plans launched in India, The both channels are available together for an introductory offer of INR 199 for three months. Thereafter the channels will cost INR 499 a month or INR 4799 annually. Like its rivals, Mubi is also available on various platforms including the web, iOS, and Android mobile devices, Amazon FireTV, PlayStation and smart television sets.

“MUBI’s human approach to curation is refreshingly simple and each day it is guaranteed that you will be able to watch a beautiful, interesting film.
Efe Cakarel, Founder and CEO of MUBI said they are happy to bring the spotlight on Indian filmmakers through their platform.

“We want more people to watch great cinema. That’s why MUBI exists. I can’t wait to see people enjoying the incredible line-up of films we have, and I’m delighted that we can now spotlight local filmmakers and cinema through MUBI INDIA every single day,” Cakarel said.

MUBI is the latest entry in India OTT market after STARZPLAY, the international premium subscription platform from STARZ, a Lionsgate company, and telecom operator Vodafone Idea Ltd have joined hands to launch Lionsgate Play in India. Lionsgate Play will be available to Vodafone Play and Idea Movies and TV subscribers as a part of this strategic collaboration between the two companies. Early Amazon and Netflix have gained good momentum in India with their initial launch with their streaming services. While JIO, a top telecom company by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Group has also joined the wagon with their Jio TV and has a positive response.

International OTT platforms doing business in India