Balaji Telefilms, led by producer and Joint Managing Director Ekta Kapoor, has entered into a strategic partnership with YouTube to launch a slate of five original shows comprising 200 episodes, as the entertainment industry continues to see audiences shift towards digital-first, on-demand viewing.
The partnership brings together Balaji Telefilms' storytelling capabilities and YouTube's global distribution and monetisation ecosystem, with the shows being developed specifically for today's digital-first audiences.
Under the partnership, Ekta Kapoor will lead the creative vision and retain ownership of the intellectual property, while YouTube will provide global distribution and monetisation opportunities through advertising and brand partnerships.
The upcoming slate will include returning titles such as Haq Se Season 2 and Kehne Ko Humsafar Hai Season 4, along with Phir Pyar Ki Yeh Kahani Suno and other projects currently under development.
The shows will be produced in 4K and positioned as digital-first, TV-scale productions, with availability for audiences globally. The move comes as YouTube strengthens its presence on connected TV screens and increasingly becomes a destination for long-form premium entertainment.
According to YouTube, its platform reached more than 75 million people aged 18 and above in India on connected TV in April 2025. Citing Comscore data, the company also said YouTube ranked No. 1 in reach across connected TV screens in India among media platforms in May 2025.
Commenting on the partnership, Ekta Kapoor, Joint Managing Director, Balaji Telefilms Ltd., said that YouTube's growing role in content discovery and audience engagement presents an opportunity to connect with viewers in new ways.
"Every story begins with a feeling, one that has the power to touch hearts, spark memories, and bring people together," Kapoor said. "As more and more viewers turn to YouTube to discover and engage with content, it presents an exciting opportunity to connect with audiences in the most innovative ways. Through this partnership with YouTube India, we're opening a new chapter to share stories that entertain, inspire, and truly move people across the globe."
Gunjan Soni, Managing Director – India, YouTube, said the partnership reflects the changing nature of television consumption, where audiences increasingly expect premium programming combined with the flexibility of on-demand viewing.
"The future of TV has to be designed around a digital-first audience that wants the best of both worlds: high-quality shows on the biggest screen in the home, with the flexibility of on-demand," Soni said.
She added that the collaboration with Kapoor would enable YouTube to create new distribution and monetisation pathways for storytellers while allowing audiences to engage with content on their own terms.
The first batch of originals is expected to roll out during the upcoming festive season, marking Balaji Telefilms' deeper push into YouTube-led premium digital entertainment and reinforcing the platform's ambitions in long-form, living-room viewing.
