Amazon Prime Video is teaming with Bollywood titan Salman Khan’s Salman Khan Ventures in an exclusive worldwide content deal. The streaming service will become home to Khan’s future films where they will premiere immediately following theatrical release, and two months ahead of satellite and TV broadcast. The partnership kicks off with Khan’s latest, Tubelight, which released in late June. It will also include such library titles as mega-hits Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Kick. Financial terms were not disclosed, although this is billed as one of biggest star deals ever.
The Indian digital market is ripe for growth, while the global diaspora is a huge consumer of Bollywood movies, with Khan one of the local industry’s most successful worldwide stars. Amazon, which sees India as a top priority, last year entered a licensing deal with prolific producer Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions for its past and future releases; and earlier this month, it debuted its first original Indian series, Inside Edge.
Nitesh Kripalani, Director and Country Head, Amazon Video India called the deal with Khan “another big step to change the way how Indian customers consume entertainment.”
Khan noted, “Fans of Indian cinema will discover my movies on a new platform and the platform will also help new fans discover our cinema.”
Last December, Amazon rival Netflix signed a deal with Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment to bring the Bollywood icon’s movies to the streaming service, including new pics which will hit Indian theaters in the next three years.
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