Kerala CM launches India’s first state-owned OTT platform

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala on Thursday launched India's first government-owned OTT platform 'CSpace' with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan terming it as a decisive step in the onward journey of Malayalam Cinema.

Inaugurating CSpace, managed by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC), at a function at Kairali Theatre here, the chief minister said this is a pioneering initiative that gives prominence to films with artistic and cultural value without hurting the mainstream film industry.

Noting that earning profit is the prime motive of the private-sector OTT platforms that mostly go for commercial movies, CSpace is set to make a mark as a medium that brings home quality films, he said.

"Private OTT platforms give prominence to films in the most widely spoken language since their prime motive is to maximise profit. The priority of CSpace, on the other hand, is to onboard and stream contents with artistic and cultural values. This will also help the promotion of the Malayalam language and culture," Vijayan said.

The launch of CSpace also signifies leveraging of the cutting-edge technologies which will define Malayalam Cinema in the future, he said.

The decision that CSpace will only stream films that are already released in theatres signifies that this is not a move that will harm the interests of the film industry. Its aim is to promote good cinema without hurting the interests of the producers and exhibitors, the chief minister said.

Presiding over the function, Culture Minister Saji Cherian said the launch of CSpace aligned well with the government's policy of supporting art and artists representing diverse traditions, he said.

The films that win state, national and international awards will be streamed on the platform, he said.

General Education Minister V Sivankutty, Food and Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil, Antony Raju, MLA, and Mayor Arya Rajendran were also present at the function.

KSFDC Chairman and eminent director Shaji N Karun said CSpace is a novel initiative that seeks to help producers to get back their investment through crowd-funding route.

Total transparency in profit it earns and the number of viewers it attracts are the distinguishing features of the platform, he said.

KSFDC is a state-owned company entrusted with the promotion of Malayalam Cinema and industry, under the Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala.

For selection of the content, KSFDC has constituted a 60-member curator panel including eminent cultural personalities like Benyamin, OV Usha, Santhosh Sivan, Shyamaprasad, Sunny Joseph, and Jeo Baby.

Every content that is submitted will be evaluated by the curators considering its artistic, cultural and infotainment merit, before showcasing it on the platform.

A total of 42 films have been selected in the first phase for streaming on CSpace, including 35 feature films, six documentaries, and one short film. Films that have won national or state awards and those exhibited at major film festivals will also be streamed.

Another distinctive feature of CSpace is transparency in its operations and the overall earnings and the revenue share.

The platform, which operates on a pay per view basis, allows viewers to watch a feature film for Rs 75 and shorter contents for a much lesser price. Exactly half of the amount charged goes to the content provider.

Viewers can download the CSpace app from the PlayStore and the App Store from today onwards.