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Bollywood: Newly launched Clean OTT to focus on women’s content

New platform led by Karnesh Ssharma, Bollywood actress/producer Anushka Sharma's brother

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Entrepreneur Karnesh Ssharma on Tuesday announced the launch of Clean OTT, billed as “the world’s only female-oriented original content streaming platform”.

Ssharma is known for backing critically acclaimed films such as NH10, Pari – both starring sister Anushka Sharma, Netflix’s Bulbbul and Amazon Prime Video series Paatal Lok, under their banner Clean Slate Filmz.

The content on the upcoming platform, to be launched next year, will comprise international and regional projects across formats such as films, web series, and docu-series.

Ssharma’s mission with Clean OTT is twofold - to curate meaningful, intricate storylines led by female protagonists, shifting away from the ‘male gaze’ criteria which often dominates casting and screenplay, and to create a sustainable platform for female professionals to further their career in the entertainment industry, removing age barriers.

For centuries patriarchy has governed storytelling, and as a man, Ssharma said he has always felt men play an equal part in shifting the power, narrative, and conversation.

“When the voices of women are heard it teaches us new perspectives which, as an audience and filmmaker, are just as compelling and interesting. It’s stereotypical when I hear people say women’s stories are just about oppression or fall into the romantic comedy genre. Female first content is in fact extremely exciting and eclectic,” the founder of Clean OTT said.

According to Ssharma, women make up 50 per cent of viewership in India and yet most of the content is male focused or represents women in a secondary fashion.

“We are confident the Clean OTT narratives will appeal to everyone as we provide a platform free of prejudice. This will give women a voice that can be enjoyed by any demographic around the world and for those who are part of our productions, a path for career progression,” he added

Clean OTT will be home to originally curated and produced works by the parent production banner and pre-selected projects that meet the platform’s messaging framework by other producers from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.

The library will showcase the credentials of an experienced team of directors, scriptwriters, actors, and producers associated with Clean Slate Filmz, as well as giving rise to emerging talent, the release further stated.

The OTT platform will be driven by an annual subscription SVOD (subscription video-on-demand) model that will initially launch in the first quarter of 2023 in India before expanding to markets such as the UK, USA, Canada, and the UAE.

Recently, Ssharma announced a USD 54 mn content deal with Amazon Prime Video and Netflix for his production company.

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