Rapid CTV rise could bring ‘balance’ to streaming world
India’s streaming platforms have long tilted toward male audiences, shaped by years of crime-, action- and thriller-heavy programming. But the rapid rise of Connected TV (CTV) viewing, now one of the fastest-growing screens for OTT, could start to nudge the industry toward more gender-balanced stories, industry executives say.
The reliance on male-centric genres is visible in the data. Male-led Hindi fiction originals have surged sharply, outnumbering female-led ones by 3.5 times in 2025, according to Ormax Media’s analysis of 338 titles released since 2022. For every two stories anchored by women, seven now revolve around men.
