In a country as diverse as India, Amazon is betting big on a two-pronged streaming strategy to cater to sharply different audience segments. At the APOS 2025 summit in Bali, senior executives from Amazon explained how Prime Video and Amazon MX Player are designed as two distinct platforms aimed at fundamentally different consumer bases.

“India is a really heterogeneous and diverse country with customers having very different needs,” said Gaurav Gandhi, Vice President, Asia Pacific & MENA, Prime Video. “Prime Video caters to customers who are subscription-ready, who have actually transitioned to streaming as their first choice or the only choice of entertainment. While Amazon MX Player is aimed at customers who are now transitioning from traditional media — TV or are still on it, but are not subscription-ready yet.”

The numbers back that up. Prime Video enjoys deep penetration on living room screens, whereas MX Player—an ad-supported service—serves over 250 million monthly users, most of whom are mobile-first.

Prime Video’s strategy continues to centre around premium, cinematic-quality originals, offering content in 10 Indian languages along with international titles. Its catalogue includes hit franchises like Made in Heaven, The Family Man, and Paatal Lok. “The local content in India had to be highly differentiated from television,” said Nikhil Madhok, Director & Head of Originals, Prime Video India. “When it lands up on the service, sitting next to our international content, it must be equally compelling, if not more.”

He pointed out that the focus is increasingly on nuanced themes rather than just genres. “Earlier this year, we launched a horror show called Khauf, but at its core, it is really about young women and the challenges that they face when they live in large cities,” he explained. Similarly, shows like Dupahiya and Panchayat tap into viewers’ desire to reconnect with their roots.

On the movie front, Prime Video is taking an aggressive approach. Since 2020, it has premiered over 65 films across six languages directly on the platform. Now, it’s also investing heavily in theatrical releases under Amazon MGM Studios. “Starting 2026, we will be releasing four to six movies in theatres every single year,” Madhok said. The slate kicks off with Nishaanchi, directed by Anurag Kashyap, which is set to release this September.

Meanwhile, Amazon MX Player is leaning into its role as the mass-market, mobile-first platform. Amogh Dusad, Director & Head of Content, Amazon MX Player, said, “We acknowledge the vast diversity and multiple cohorts within the 250 million-strong user base.” He added that themes like aspiration, hustle, and escapism resonate strongly with their audience. “A franchise like Hustler, which delves into start-up culture, works really well. Or take Aashram, which has had more than 200 million streamers in the country,” Dusad shared.

Amazon MX Player is also experimenting with a new format: MX Fatafat, a series of micro-dramas designed for mobile users. Each story will be told through 80 to 100 episodes lasting just one to two minutes, optimized for vertical viewing. “The evolution in storytelling needs innovation not just in narrative but in format,” Dusad said.

Amazon’s dual-platform approach also reflects in how it engages with creators. Gandhi said that over 50% of Prime Video’s Originals in development feature new talent. He cited Dupahiya, which came from first-time creators, as a recent success. “With MX Fatafat, we are unlocking a new wave of first-time creators by actively co-creating content with emerging talent,” he added.

Despite an increasingly crowded streaming landscape, Amazon remains bullish on India. “It is still early days for streaming in India,” Gandhi said, underlining the company’s continued investments in both ad-supported and subscription-based services.