Can just one hit show change the fortunes of a streaming platform? Yes, if the current status of SonyLIV after the success of its web show Scam 1992 is to be believed. For those who’ve been living under a rock, Scam 1992 is the most buzzing show at present, in the Indian content space. Everyone, from critics to audiences, celebs to industry insiders, trade pundits to rivals – everyone has heaped praise on the show and its slow-burn, gritty take on the rise of Big Bull Harshad Mehta and the stock market scam of 1992.
Trade pundits are raving about the amazing popularity of Scam 1992 and the surprising domino effect on its host platform, SonyLIV. For, if sources are to be believed, Scam 1992 has led to increased interest in SonyLIV as a streaming platform that delivers quality content. Viewers are seeing SonyLIV and its content in a new light. Industry folk are keen to collaborate with it on new content. And the best outcome of them all – subscriptions are reportedly up, and rising still.
Even a cursory glance at social media will point you towards the obvious. Scam 1992 is a massive hit for SonyLIV and creator Applause Entertainment. It is the highest rated Indian show on IMDb, with a stunning 9.6 from 45000+ ratings. Comments on SonyLIV’s social media and its post on upcoming Original film Welcome Home are gushing and appreciative. “How are you doing it…one explosive show after another…”, says one social media user. Another gushes, “You guys are delivering awesome content”, and so on.
The revamped SonyLIV launched with much fanfare in June 2020, bang in the middle of the Coronavirus shutdown. Ever since launch, SonyLIV has streamed several well-received SonyLIV original shows and movies – Undekhi, Your Honor, JL50, Bhonsle, Kadakh, and now Scam 1992. Another interesting Original film, Welcome Home, will premiere on 6th November, on SonyLIV. All the SonyLIV originals released up till now have been widely appreciated. Undekhi, especially, received great acclaim from critics and viewers alike.
The most obvious pointer to a change in viewer sentiment is the fact that until some time ago, most digital viewers were of the opinion that the subscription rates for SonyLIV are too high. After Scam 1992, viewers are flocking to buy an annual subscription for it, which can even be gleaned from the comments section of the social media handles of the streamer. While SonyLIV has not released any numbers regarding a spike in subscriptions to the platform, sources in the know have confirmed that subscriptions have indeed risen considerably after the success of Scam 1992.
All said and done, and taking all points into consideration, we can safely say that Scam 1992 has certainly proved to be a gamechanger for SonyLIV, triggering a definite change in its fortunes.
Scam 1992 stars actor Pratik Gandhi as Harshad Mehta. It has been directed by National Award winning director Hansal Mehta. Scam 1992 chronicles the dizzying rise and stunning fall of Harshad Mehta, and the repercussions of his massive financial scam on the Indian stock market.
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