While 2023 marked the big screen’s comeback, the OTT space retained its stronghold. Amazon Prime Video and Disney+Hotstar continued releasing originals, pushing OTT viewership to its peak.
Ormax Media’s Insights
Which Hindi & International web-series & OTT films were the most-watched in India in 2023? Which ones generated the maximum buzz, and which ones were liked the most by audiences? To read more, and to download our new report, visit: https://t.co/o6R31296zt
— Ormax Media (@OrmaxMedia) January 16, 2024
The ‘Streaming Originals in India: The 2023 Story‘ report by Ormax Media delves into the performance of streaming content based on Buzz, OPR, and viewership. Examining top releases in 2023, the report considers three parameters: Viewership, Marketing Buzz & Content Strength.
Hindi Web Series
Prime Video’s ‘Farzi’ claims the top spot in Hindi web series viewership with 37.1 million views, becoming India’s most-watched SVOD series. The report showcases the dominance of Prime Video and Disney+Hotstar in the top 15 list.
Unscripted Shows and Films
Bigg Boss OTT S2 leads unscripted shows with 19.5 million viewers, while Prime Video’s ‘Bawaal’ secures the title of the most-watched direct-to-OTT Hindi film. Netflix features prominently, with six films crossing the 9 million viewership mark.
International Shows
‘Citadel’ tops the international shows list in 2023, outshining others by over 50%. Notable entries include ‘Extraction 2’ and ‘Heart Of Stone,’ both on Netflix, as the only two international films crossing 8 million viewership.
Marketing Buzz Insight
‘Farzi’ generates maximum buzz, followed by Asur S2. The report highlights the shift from franchise shows in 2022 to a more diverse mix in 2023. Netflix dominates the list of buzzing films, emphasizing the strength of its content.
Content Strength Evaluation
‘Asur 2’ emerges as the most-liked Hindi series, with ‘Farzi’ and ‘The Railway Men’ crossing the 70-mark on Ormax Power Rating (OPR). ‘Mission Majnu’ and ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’ lead the direct-to-OTT films. ‘Extraction 2’ stands out as a breakout success, surpassing the 75-mark on OPR.
Top 5 in Each Category: Ormax Media Report 2023 (views in millions)
The report specifically examined the leading original shows and films launched in 2023, both in Hindi and international languages. The evaluation was based on three key factors: viewership, marketing buzz, and content strength. Notably, the focus was solely on original content, excluding other content categories like theatrical films, catch-up television, sports, and similar genres.
Most-Watched Hindi Web-series
Farzi – 37.1
The Night Manager – 28.6
Taaza Khabar – 23.5
Asur S2 – 21.0
Taali – 17.8
Most-Watched Indian Unscripted Shows
Bigg Boss OTT S2 – 19.5
Koffee With Karan S8 – 15.4
Temptation Island India – 13.5
Dance+ Pro – 8.8
MasterChef India – 7.3
Most-Watched Hindi Films
Bawaal – 21.2
Bloody Daddy – 17.0
Gulmohar – 16.3
Tumse Na Ho Paayega – 14.3
Apurva – 12.6
Most-Watched International Shows
Citadel – 17.0
The Mandalorian S3 – 11.3
Sex Education S4 – 10.2
I Am Groot S2 – 9.9
The Last Of Us – 9.5
Most-Watched International Films
Extraction 2 – 9.8
Heart of Stone – 8.5
BTS Yet To Come – 7.7
Air: Courting A Legend – 6.7
Merry Little Batman – 6.6
Marketing Buzz (in percentage)
Most-Buzzing Hindi Shows
Farzi – 45
Asur S2 – 34
Guns & Gulaabs – 25
The Railway Men – 23
The Night Manager – 21
Most-Buzzing Hindi Films
Bloody Daddy – 21
Bawaal – 21
Lust Stories 2 – 17
The Archies – 15
Mission Majnu – 15
Most-Buzzing International Shows/Films
Citadel – 23
Berlin – 17
Loki S2 – 17
Extraction 2 – 15
Sex Education S4 – 13
Content Strength (OPR)
Most-Liked Hindi Shows
Asur S2 – 78
Farzi – 77
The Railway Men – 70
Aspirants S2 – 69
Scam 2003 – The Telgi Story – 67
Most-Liked Hindi Films
Mission Majnu – 69
Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai – 67
Bloody Daddy – 64
Apurva – 61
Khufiya – 61
Most-Liked International Shows
Loki S2 – 77
Sex Education S4 – 66
One Piece – 66
Squid Game: The Challenge – 64
The Witcher S3 – 63
Most-Liked International Films
Extraction 2 – 75
The Killer – 65
AIR: Courting A Legend – 62
Murder Mystery 2 – 62
Heart Of Stone – 62