In October 2020, SonyLIV released the web series “Scam 1992 – The Harshad Mehta Story” which quickly became a sensation in India. The series, based on the life of the infamous stockbroker Harshad Mehta, has been widely acclaimed for its stellar performances, direction, and attention to detail. But it’s not just the quality of the series that has made it a turning point for SonyLIV. The massive success of Scam 1992 has helped SonyLIV establish itself as a major player in the Indian OTT (Over-the-top) industry.
Scam 1992 is an adaptation of the book “The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away” by journalists Debashis Basu and Sucheta Dalal. The series chronicles the rise and fall of Harshad Mehta, who was a well-known stockbroker in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Mehta became famous for his involvement in a securities scam worth over Rs 5,000 crore, which led to his arrest and subsequent downfall.
The series was directed by Hansal Mehta and starred Pratik Gandhi in the lead role of Harshad Mehta. It was released on SonyLIV, Sony Pictures Networks’ streaming platform, on October 9, 2020. The series received widespread critical acclaim and was praised for its gripping storytelling, brilliant performances, and accurate portrayal of the events that led to the scam.
Scam 1992’s success can be measured in several ways. Firstly, the series received a high IMDb rating of 9.6 out of 10, making it one of the highest-rated Indian web series ever. Secondly, the series was watched by millions of people across the country. According to reports, Scam 1992 was streamed over 400 million times within the first month of its release. This is a significant number, considering that India’s total online population is estimated to be around 700 million.
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The success of Scam 1992 also had a positive impact on SonyLIV’s overall performance. According to a report by Ormax Media, a media consulting firm, SonyLIV’s daily active users increased by 55% in the month of October 2020, compared to the previous month. The report also stated that the time spent by users on the platform increased by 86% during the same period. This is a significant jump in user engagement, which indicates that Scam 1992 played a crucial role in driving traffic to the platform.
The success of Scam 1992 has also had a positive impact on SonyLIV’s subscriber base. According to a report by Economic Times, SonyLIV’s paid subscriber base increased by 700% within the first 10 days of the series’ release. This is a remarkable achievement, considering that SonyLIV had around 5 million paid subscribers before the release of Scam 1992.
The impact of Scam 1992’s success is not limited to SonyLIV alone. The series has also had a positive impact on the Indian OTT industry as a whole. According to a report by KPMG, the Indian OTT industry is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 28.6% between 2020 and 2025. The report also stated that the pandemic had accelerated the growth of the OTT industry, and that the industry was expected to reach a size of Rs 11,970 crore by 2023.
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Scam 1992’s success has also demonstrated the importance of quality content in the Indian OTT industry. The series was successful not just because it was based on a popular topic, but also because of its high-quality storytelling, direction, and performances. This has prompted other players in the industry to focus more on quality content, rather than just relying on star power or popular themes.
If we look at this, overall, Scam 1992 – The Harshad Mehta Story has been a turning point for the massive success of SonyLIV. The series has helped SonyLIV establish itself as a major player in the Indian OTT industry, with a significant increase in daily active users, time spent on the platform, and paid subscribers. The success of Scam 1992 has also had a positive impact on the Indian OTT industry as a whole, demonstrating the importance of quality content in driving user engagement and growth.
