Lionsgate Play arrives in India to take on Netflix, Amazon Prime

The service will cost Rs 699 for a year and Rs 99 per month.

Starz, one of the leading premium global streaming platforms, on Wednesday launched its independent direct to consumer over-the-top (OTT) app Lionsgate Play in India.

The service has been launched with a new price point in India, making the app available as part of two subscription models -- Rs 699 for a year and Rs 99 per month, competing against other similar platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime as well as Disney Plus Hotstar.

The app will be available to download across a broad array of platforms and devices including Google Play store, Apple app store and Amazon firestick, the company said in a statement.

The streaming giant will also premiere movies such as the Jennifer Lopez-starrer 'Hustlers', Gerald Butler's action thriller 'Angel Has Fallen', the fantasy thriller 'Hellboy', and the action comedy 'The Gentlemen', starring Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell and Hugh Grant, to name a few.

"India has always been a key market for us. The large and diverse population, increased data usage in urban and rural markets, and adoption of OTT across all demographics created an exciting opportunity for us to launch Lionsgate Play," said Jeffrey A Hirsch, President and CEO, Starz.

The platform anticipates continued strong growth in the Indian OTT ecosystem and is capitalizing on the opportunity by bringing a host of new, edgy movies and web series to India.

"We want to provide the finest, never seen before content that will captivate our audiences with bespoke entertainment drawing on the most exciting current releases and our premium library," said Rohit Jain, Managing Director, Lionsgate South Asia.