Saregama to focus on regional music, video content
NEW DELHI: India’s oldest music label, Saregama India, is looking to expand the business by focusing on regional language music and video content. The company plans to capture 30% share of India’s music market by acquiring both film and non-film music after the success of its recent albums for Gangubai Kathiawadi and Bellbottom. It is also focusing on languages such as Punjabi, Gujarati, Haryanvi, Tamil and Telugu music to bolster its regional catalogue. Yoodlee, the company’s film and web content division, has also ventured into regional cinema in Malayalam and Punjabi, besides having backed a Marathi hit Zombivli earlier this year.
“Hindi is still the dominant language of music consumption but our focus is increasingly shifting to regional content, even as far as film and web show programming at Yoodlee goes. Increase in the number of smartphones and use of cheap data packs is led by small Indian towns, not metros and while Bollywood remains high-profile, people are equally keen to consume regional content,” Vikram Mehra, managing director, Saregama India Ltd told Mint.
For film music, Saregama is looking at Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Bengali as major focus areas, though Mehra admitted the challenge with the category is that it remains centered on the presence of big stars and the costs of acquisition and marketing are higher. The company that took a break from film albums and re-entered the space in 2016, has got the music rights to Hindi films such as Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s next venture, war drama Pippa, Maddock Films’ next starring Vicky Kaushal, director Shankar’s Hindi remake of his Tamil hit Anniyan featuring Ranveer Singh, Mahesh Babu’s Sarkaru Vaari Paata and Chiranjeevi’s Godfather that will also feature Salman Khan.
Though the company had a hit on its hands with Badshah’s Paani Paani during covid, it is looking at Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Haryanvi, Bengali, Tamil and Bhojpuri music as it collaborates with new-age artistes such as Arvind Akela Kallu, Khesari Lal Yadav, Akshara Singh, Kajal
Maheriya and Rakesh Barot, among others.
In films, Yoodlee has strengthened its focus on regional narratives with Malayalam projects Padavettu and Anweshippin Kandethum starring Nivin Pauly and Tovino Thomas respectively, besides backing Tamil Malayalam bilingual romantic drama Abhiyum Anuvum and another Tamil film, Super Senior Heroes. Sustained recovery from the impact of the pandemic helped the company’s revenues rise by 46% year- on- year to ₹ 180.2 crore, led by TV and films segment, for the quarter and year ended March 31. A media and entertainment industry expert said challenges for music firms like Saregama boil down to consumer’s habit to access music for free. “However, OTT platforms have generated a windfall of opportunities,” the person said.