National public broadcaster Prasar Bharati Wednesday launched its OTT platform Waves at the ongoing International Film Festival of India in Goa.
Billed as a comprehensive digital ecosystem, Waves bridges the digital media and entertainment divide through its collaboration with rural broadband connectivity program BharatNet for last mile connectivity to rural audiences. The platform offers a diverse array of content in over 12 languages, including Hindi, English, Bengali, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Punjabi and Assamese.
“Waves is one of the only OTT networks which is your window to not only the world of clean family entertainment but also to shopping, games and news and current affairs for kids and youth. A bonanza for all,” said Prasar Bharati’s chairman Shri Navneet Kumar Sehgal during its launch.
Waves’s content slate features regional films, family-friendly programming, and international collaborations. Notable offerings include Roll No.52, a student grad film from Annapurna Film and Media Studio by Nagarjuna and Amala Akkineni; Fauji 2.0, a modern adaptation of Shah Rukh Khan’s 1989 television show Fauji; and Oscar winner Guneet Monga Kapoor’s social change film Kicking Balls, a true story on child marriages.
Jackson Halt, a crime thriller, and Jaiye Aap Kahan Jayenge, a social drama about mobile toilets will also be available on the platform following their screening at IFFI this year.
Some other films and shows, which would be available for streaming on Waves, are Monkey King: Hero is Back (2015), Fouja (2023), Armaan (2023), and Kailash Kher’s music reality show Bharat ka Amrit Kalas. Waves will also carry a selection of popular animation programmes, including Doggy Adventure, Chota Bheem, Tenaliram, Akbar Birbal, and games like Krishna Jump, Fruit Chef, Ram the Yodha, and Cricket Premier League tournament.
The platform will also stream live events and sports broadcasts. Additionally, Waves would promote young creators and content from media institutions. No subscription will be required to stream content on Waves.
The 55th International Film Festival of India, taking place in Goa, is slated to conclude on November 28.
