New Delhi: The Assam Government is set to launch a state-owned OTT platform, Assam TV. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the launch on his X handle, calling the platform a new place to “binge stories closer to home”.
“Dear OTT platforms, make some room, Assam’s joining the list. The Assam Budget 2026 has laid a vision for a dedicated OTT platform for Assamese cinema, folk music, documentaries, literature and more,” he wrote.
This is not the first time a state government has launched its own OTT platform. Kerala launched CSpace in 2022. Backed by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation, the platform mainly streams Malayalam cinema and documentaries.
Dear OTT platforms,
Make some room, Assam’s joining the list.
The #AssamBudget2026 has laid a vision for a dedicated OTT platform for Assamese cinema, folk music, documentaries, literature & more.
A new place to binge stories closer to home.
Stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/KiMUFK97w2
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 13, 2026
The next year, the Meghalaya government launched Hello Meghalaya. It primarily focuses on documentaries and stories related to the state’s culture and tourism, while also streaming regional music festivals and state football leagues.
Several privately owned OTT platforms also support regional cinema. Hoichoi, the Bengali-language OTT platform owned by SVF Entertainment, has a large library of web series and soap operas, along with more than 1,000 Bengali songs.
Similarly, Olly TV is an Odia-language platform launched in 2022 by SK Line Production. CityShor TV, launched in 2020, is a Gujarati OTT platform. NammaFlix caters to Kannada-language content and features more than 100 films alongside original series. Planet Marathi, owned by entrepreneur Akshay Bardapurkar, was launched to promote Marathi language and culture through original films and series. The platform also includes podcasts.
Assamese cinema is popularly known as Jollywood. Films such as Kothanodi (2015), which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Assamese, and the critically acclaimed Aamis (2019) have brought the industry’s storytelling to wider audiences.
Reactions to the new state-backed platform have been mixed.
“Wow! Super proud to see Assam getting its very own OTT platform! Our cinema, music, culture, and stories finally getting the dedicated space they deserve,” wrote @imnazir07.
However, others have questioned whether there’s a need for a government-backed platform.
“Why do u want govt doing such things?” said a comment by @dkg334. “Hope you are only planning to offer subsidies for private players to take this up.”
(Edited by Asavari Singh)