India's traditional media and entertainment companies are rapidly diversifying their portfolios beyond conventional film and television production as streaming platforms cut budgets and theatrical growth remains sluggish. Established players are now venturing into artificial intelligence, astrology applications, live events, and creator-led content to capture new revenue streams and engage with modern audiences.
Strategic Expansion Beyond Traditional Media
Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms has made significant moves by launching two new digital ventures: AstroVani, an astrology application, and Kutingg, a family-oriented entertainment platform. Kutingg offers fiction, non-fiction, short-form videos, and vertical content specifically designed for mobile-first consumers, reflecting the company's adaptation to changing viewing habits.
Meanwhile, Abundantia Entertainment, the production house behind successful films like Baby, Airlift, and Toilet - Ek Prem Katha, has established a new division called Abundantia aiON last month. This specialized unit focuses on developing and producing stories powered by artificial intelligence, marking a significant technological shift in their creative process.
Industry-Wide Transformation
The diversification trend extends across the entertainment landscape. Music label Saregama has entered the live events sector, while Banijay Asia, renowned for producing popular shows like Bigg Boss and MTV Roadies, has partnered with Collective Artists Network to launch a creator-driven content and intellectual property engine.
According to industry analysts, traditional entertainment formats including television, films, and even long-form OTT content have experienced slowed growth. Meanwhile, digital engagement has exploded across newer formats such as microdramas, interactive storytelling, and live fan experiences. These innovative approaches help brands maintain user engagement within their ecosystem for longer periods while building revenue pools that don't rely exclusively on advertising sales or platform licensing.
Vikram Malhotra, founder and CEO of Abundantia Entertainment, described this phase as a "strategic expansion" for the media industry. "The media industry is moving beyond conventional platforms like film and television into emerging spaces such as gaming, live events, music, and AI-driven creation," Malhotra explained. "This move is a direct reaction to today's consumer, whose engagement spans multiple formats—from watching movies to streaming short stories and interacting with social media creators."
Efficiency Gains and Strategic Partnerships
Through its Abundantia aiON initiative, the company is developing technology-led efficiencies in creation, development, and post-production that could potentially reduce creative turnaround times by 25-30% while improving audience alignment during the concept stage itself.
Nitin Burman, group chief revenue officer at Balaji Telefilms, noted that while new verticals initially receive bootstrap funding, most companies will eventually seek partnerships to scale these businesses. "Traditional content creation continues to be core for the company. Most organizations are pivoting and diversifying portfolios due to intense competition in production and squeezed budgets for commissioned content," Burman stated.
Deepak Dhar, founder and CEO of Banijay Asia and Endemol Shine India, emphasized that companies across the media and entertainment sector are evolving from standalone content creators into ecosystem builders. "Strategic partnerships have become central to this shift—whether collaborating with format owners to adapt global IPs for local markets, aligning with talent and creator networks, or working with gaming and esports firms to merge traditional entertainment with interactive experiences," Dhar added.
Challenges in Managing Diversification
While these new ventures represent exciting growth opportunities, industry experts highlight significant challenges in maintaining brand identity and focus while managing diverse business models. Charu Malhotra, co-founder and managing director of Primus Partners, described these initiatives as a "new growth layer" where innovation occurs alongside core content production.
"The challenge is focus. Not every brand can stretch itself across too many verticals without diluting its identity. Managing multiple business models, tech, talent, content, and live events needs new skill sets and patient capital," Malhotra cautioned.
Despite these challenges, consumers stand to benefit from this trend, gaining access to engaging, shorter, and personalized entertainment forms from trusted brands they already know and appreciate. The industry now faces the crucial test of ensuring these new experiments remain both innovative and authentic to their original brand identities.
