Kuku, an emerging storytelling and entertainment platform from India, plans to broaden its international presence this year by launching its audio and video OTT platforms in major markets such as the United States and Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, the Philippines, and South Korea.
Vinod Kumar Meena, COO and Co-Founder of Kuku, said, “India is such a hotbed of stories around culture, tradition, science, spirituality, fiction and more. So why has India not emerged as a soft power in storytelling? If you look at South Korea then KDramas and Kpop have become such an important part of their economy.
With a catalog featuring more than 100,000 hours of audio stories and hundreds of microdramas across eight languages, Kuku has built a sizable content library comparable to leading streaming OTT platforms. The company introduced microdramas to a broader Indian audience with the launch of its video OTT arm, Kuku TV, in September 2024. Since then, it has become a significant player in the microdrama space. With over 5 million active paying users across both audio and video offerings, Kuku has set its sights on increasing its user base in India, aiming to eventually exceed Netflix’s subscriber count in the country.
Given we are the largest entertainment industry in the world, stories and storytelling should be our soft power and our biggest cultural export. There is immense potential in this to not only become a major contributor to our creative economy but also help create new jobs, opportunities and talent in the industry. We have hundreds of thousands of titles in our library which we want to take to the world this year.”
Kuku offers content across a diverse range of genres, including entertainment, education, spirituality, sci-fi, and fiction, catering to a broad spectrum of audiences. As it expands internationally, the company is placing a strong emphasis on understanding local cultures and preferences. In the U.S., Kuku is targeting the Indian diaspora, particularly speakers of Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
In Southeast Asia, the company aims to tap into audiences already acquainted with Bollywood and Indian television serials. With mobile devices serving as the primary content access point in many of these regions, Kuku has identified the Philippines and Indonesia as key initial markets for growth.
“For us, it’s more than just scaling; it’s about bringing a piece of home to Indians living abroad. We want them to hear familiar voices and stories, no matter how far they are from their roots,” shared Vinod Kumar Meena.
In South Korea, Kuku aims to connect with a tech-savvy audience that enjoys immersive storytelling, similar to the popularity of K-dramas on OTT platforms like Netflix, TVING, and Wavve. With growing curiosity about Indian narratives, Kuku is exploring innovative ways to engage this audience through its own OTT offerings, seeking to expand its community of viewers and listeners in the region.
With its ambitious global expansion, diverse content library, and focus on culturally tailored storytelling, Kuku is positioning itself as a significant player in the international OTT platforms landscape. By tapping into regional preferences and leveraging the universal appeal of Indian stories, the platform aims not only to entertain but also to build cultural bridges and drive growth in the global creative economy.
