Netflix Introduces Support in Hindi to Woo Indian Subscribers

The OTT platform is also planning to introduce a low-cost plan in India for mobiles only.

Netflix is planning to introduce a low-cost plan in India for mobiles only.

(Photo: The Quint)

The majority of the internet users in the country are Hindi speaking and that’s what big tech firms and OTT platforms are looking to push on their respective platforms.

Netflix is the latest to join this bandwagon, introducing Hindi as a preferred language for its user interface.

As per a TechCrunch report, you will now be able to see the sign-up page, search rows, collections, synopsis and even the payment section of the app in Hindi.

Netflix users can now select the Hindi language option by going to the ‘Manage Profiles’ section on the welcome screen.

Hindi is being offered and a language on Netflix. (Photo Courtesy: TechCrunch)

This is a big move for Netflix as only 10 percent of its market in India speaks English.

“Delivering a great Netflix experience is as important to us as creating great content. We believe the new user interface will make Netflix even more accessible and better suit members who prefer Hindi.”

Monika Shergill, VP-Content at Netflix India, in a statement to TechCrunch

Big Plans for India Market

In India, Netflix competes with Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, who have already rolled out support for Hindi on their platforms.

Since Netflix is already pushing a lot of Hindi content on its platform, it makes sense to offer its subscribers a language preference that will help them navigate the interface better. Also, the focus on Hindi gives us an idea of the kind of traction Netflix is getting in India.

Not only this, but Netflix also launched an India-specific mobile plan last year at a low cost which has also helped it garner a larger audience.

At an event in India in early 2018, Netflix co-founder and co-chief executive Reed Hastings said that India will eventually bring 100 million subscribers to his platform.

Last year, the OTT platform said that it had earmarked $420 million for producing and licencing content in India by the end of this year.

Not only that, it also announced 17 original movies and shows slated to be released in the coming months.

Just like many other languages like Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese and more – Hindi will also be available to Netflix users globally.