YouTube India's Big Play: Live Content, Oscars & Films to Transform Home Entertainment

• YouTube India, led by MD Gunjan Soni, is shifting focus to live content, aiming to become India's "new television" with sports, comedy, and award shows.
• Connected TV is YouTube's fastest-growing screen, with over 7.5 crore (75 million) users in India by April 2025.
• YouTube secured exclusive global streaming rights for the Oscars for five years, starting 2029, ending its 70-year TV broadcast tradition.
• The platform will offer free Oscars ceremony streaming, red carpet coverage, and nomination announcements to attract long-term viewers.
• YouTube plans to become a major distribution alternative for Indian production houses, allowing new films to reach audiences at home due to limited theater infrastructure.

Why It Matters: YouTube India is aggressively expanding into live content and film distribution to become the new home entertainment hub.