For years, YouTube was the internet’s public playground where you could watch a cat play piano, a teenager eat fire noodles, or learn how to fix a leaky tap from a man in Nebraska. But lately, it looks like the world’s biggest video platform has quietly positioned itself as a serious challenger to traditional OTT players.
Aamir Khan-starrer Sitaare Zameen Par skipped the OTT route and landed directly on YouTube with a pay-per-view price of Rs 100. Even stand-up specials, which once were the secret sauce of OTTs, are now turning to YouTube, with major comedians like Abhishek Upmanyu releasing shows behind YouTube’s paywall, sidestepping traditional OTT deals in favour of controlling their distribution and revenue.
The numbers back this shift. According to the latest FICCI-EY report, YouTube commands an overwhelming 92% share of all online video consumption in India, leaving both subscription-based and ad-supported rivals to fight over the remainder.
Data from YouTube reveals that Connected Television (CTV) has been its fastest-growing screen in India for the past five years. In December 2024 alone, over half of YouTube’s CTV watch time in India came from videos longer than 21 minutes, with logged-in viewers spending more than 40 million hours a day watching content on their TV screens.
Comscore data shows YouTube reaching 4 out of 5 internet users in India, while the Chrome OTT (COTT) Annual OTT Market Report pegs its FY 2024–25 revenue share at 37.7%, the highest in the country.
Taken together, these trends signal a clear reality: YouTube is no longer just a video-sharing site. It’s fast becoming a one-stop destination for everything from big-ticket premieres to nostalgia-driven returns, and the streaming incumbents would be wise to pay attention.
Gunjan Soni, Country Managing Director, YouTube India, spoke to us and said the platform is “in its lane,” with a mission to give every creator a voice and a global stage. “We focus on delivering the best video experience across screens and formats, while offering ultimate flexibility to monetise, be it ads, paid offerings, memberships, or on-demand movies. The choice lies entirely with the creator, and our role is to provide the flexibility and platform for them to decide what works best,” she adds.
On YouTube, in the case of rentals or on-demand movies, the content is ad-free, giving audiences a premium viewing experience. Soni further added that “Live streams, podcasts, premium IPs, and regional fandoms are thriving on YouTube, fuelled by 40–50 million connected TV screens in India. For creators, it’s not just about monetisation; it’s about reaching a global stage and gaining the recognition they aspire to.”
When asked how Google-owned YouTube plans to distinguish itself from traditional OTT platforms, Gunjan Soni points to its unmatched scale and breadth. The platform’s reach, she says, is “unprecedented,” with diversity and choice not only in audience, whether regional or segmented through precise targeting, but also in the variety of content IPs available.
“Increasingly, we’re seeing brands not just chasing eyeballs for certain audiences but actively associating themselves with specific content IPs. The unparalleled reach speaks for itself,” she notes. Soni adds that globally, YouTube is witnessing strong adoption of monetisation tools such as channel memberships and fan funding, embraced by both creators and audiences alike.
In an episode of Nikhil Kamath’s People by WTF podcast, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan highlighted that about 15% of Indian-origin content, which translates to approximately 45 billion watch hours, is consumed outside the country, clearly stating that Indian content is also going global through YouTube.
YouTube or OTT: Where will the Fraternity lean?
For the artists/producers, choosing between YouTube and an OTT platform depends on reach, control, and monetisation. YouTube offers global access, creative freedom, and flexible pay models, while OTTs provide funding, marketing, and brand prestige. The decision ultimately rests on whether the writer values independence and visibility or security and association with a major streamer.
Commenting on the trend of movies and premium shows debuting directly on YouTube, Saurabh Srivastava, Chief Operating Officer - Digital Business, Shemaroo Entertainment Limited, notes that this marks a clear evolution in digital content strategy. “The rise of direct-to-audience releases on YouTube signals more than just a distribution shift; it’s about tapping into the platform’s unmatched reach, long-tail monetisation, and ability to foster deep community engagement. For creators and studios, YouTube offers access to a far larger audience base compared to most OTTs, which can dramatically extend a title’s lifecycle,” he adds.
Srivastava also points out that OTT platforms continue to dominate in exclusivity, premium storytelling, and high-value audiences, especially in a market where transactional video-on-demand is still viewed as a discretionary spend. Instead of a head-to-head rivalry, he sees YouTube and OTT as complementary forces. “The real win comes from breaking platform silos and placing each story where it will resonate deepest and deliver the highest impact,” he says.
Ram Madhvani, Emmy-nominated Director, believes this isn’t a battle but a partnership. “We’re all here to tell stories that move people. The real question isn’t ‘Who’s better?’ but ‘Where does this story truly belong?’” He explains that technologically, YouTube can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with premium platforms, but creatively, the responsibility lies with the makers. “OTTs bring structure, greenlights, budgets, and marketing muscle, while YouTube offers pure creative freedom, a space to experiment without a safety net. That freedom is both liberating and intimidating. Every platform has its rhythm and texture; the true craft is in respecting that ecosystem and still breaking through emotionally, memorably, meaningfully,” he highlights.
From a white-label streaming perspective, Sumit Rastogi, Director of Business Development – India, OTTera, notes that YouTube continues to offer significant advantages: massive global reach, a frictionless publishing model, and a direct connection to audiences. Yet, the premium ‘lean-back’ living-room experience is increasingly being challenged as the Connected TV (CTV) ecosystem catches up, and in some cases, even surpasses it.
He further notes that the TV OEM platforms like Samsung TV Plus are leading the charge, commissioning original shows from top creators like Dhar Mann, securing exclusive FAST channels from digital-first stars, and aggressively expanding into live sports, from the NFL and WNBA to Formula 1.
Rastogi mentions that it’s not just the large OEMs driving this momentum. Sabio’s Creator TV on Amazon Fire TV Channels demonstrates how social-first creators can scale into FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming Television) channels, diversify monetisation, and bring the authenticity of short-form storytelling into a curated TV environment. Meanwhile, sports properties like the IPL on JioHotstar show that CTV can deliver both massive reach and strong viewer retention.
“For OTTera, this industry shift reinforces the value of a hybrid strategy,” Rastogi explains. “YouTube is an ideal launchpad to build audiences, while a white-label OTT presence gives content owners key advantages, long-form flexibility, stronger monetisation control, and full ownership of data,” he states.
Bryan Louis, Associate Account Director, White Rivers Media, observes that YouTube’s growing stature as a premium content hub is reshaping the digital media landscape and posing a serious challenge to traditional OTT platforms. He notes that YouTube’s biggest strength lies in its ability to integrate brands seamlessly through influencer collaborations, enabling authentic connections with audiences. Yet, to truly rival OTT players, the platform must shed its “UGC-first” perception and position itself as a destination for premium, high-production content. He highlights that YouTube’s unmatched ability to spark organic buzz and drive deep audience engagement places it in a strong position to disrupt the premium content market. No longer just a video platform, it is fast emerging as a formidable contender in the evolving media ecosystem.
Bhavesh Kapadia, Ad Film Director, Cutawayy Films, says, “As a filmmaker, YouTube offers pure creative freedom: no approvals, no algorithms, no boardroom notes. You tell the story you want and connect directly with fans, which in India is often more powerful than marketing. For production houses, it’s about strategy and ROI: instant reach without censorship, but lower immediate returns and no built-in promotion. On YouTube, you’re not just the creator; you’re also the marketer and sometimes even the customer care guy. That’s why I see its paywall not as a saviour or a villain, but as a tool: perfect for regional films, stand-up, or indie projects, and best used in a hybrid model for big-budget films.”
He adds, “In India, YouTube Premium is like opening a plush multiplex counter in a crowded railway station. The audience is massive, but most came for chaat, not Rs 200 coffee. It’s a high-risk, high-reward space, ideal for niche or fan-driven projects, while OTTs remain more structured and safe. To me, YouTube isn’t here to replace OTTs, but to expand the playground, a place where street food and silver spoons can happily coexist.”
As the lines between traditional OTT platforms and YouTube continue to blur, one thing is clear: the future of digital content is not about choosing sides but about matching stories with the platforms that amplify them best. Whether it’s a blockbuster film, a stand-up special, or a niche regional series, creators now have unprecedented flexibility to reach audiences, experiment creatively, and monetise effectively.
