Curated content sector to overtake television in share of India’s entertainment economy by 2029, says report

India’s online curated content (OCC) sector—driven by the surge in OTT platforms—is set to nearly double its share of the entertainment industry by 2029, eating into the dominance of traditional television. A recent report by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and Deloitte revealed that while television currently leads with a gross output of ₹3.18 lakh crore, its contribution to the industry is expected to shrink by 7 percentage points by 2029, making way for a sharp rise in OCC’s share from 15.7% in FY2024 to 23.04%.

The Indian media and entertainment industry, comprising film, television, and OCC, is projected to generate a total gross output of ₹5.14 lakh crore ($61.2 billion) in 2024. Of this, the OCC segment—fuelled by India’s accelerating digital adoption post-Covid—accounts for ₹74,756 crore (including both the direct and indirect economic impact), making it the smallest, yet fastest-growing component.

The direct economic impact by the sector was valued at ₹17,300 crore in FY24. The sector is expected to expand to ₹33,800 crore by FY29, growing at a CAGR of 13.9% during FY25–29.

A key driver of this surge is advertising, which is projected to grow at 16.5% CAGR to ₹20,800 crore by FY29, outpacing subscription revenue, which will rise at 10.2% CAGR to ₹13,000 crore.

The trend reflects a broader shift in consumer behaviour and monetisation models in India’s digital media landscape, with ad-supported content expected to play a more prominent role in the years ahead.

In terms of employment, in 2024, the OCC industry in India is expected to support 288,000 jobs. This includes both direct and indirect employment. Direct employment however, only accounts for 7% of the total jobs created. Television remains the biggest employer, accounting for 1.65 million jobs. The film sector comes next with 704,000 jobs.