His company is simultaneously holding talks for tie-ups with collaborating firms in 18 countries; shifting base, from Uttar Pradesh to Australia, as you read this. This, only a year-and-half since he rolled out his first product.

Virgin Boys were two of 13 shows launched by the streaming app during the lockdown

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What commodity does Agarwal manufacture, seemingly so essential to times of COVID-19? To be consumed at R36 for five days, or R198 a year (with 20 to 25 per cent cash-back on offer)? No, it's not soap (on TV, or otherwise). Although he looks furthest from it, Agarwal is close to India's Hugh Hefner in the making — building an empire of sorts over content that's "erotic".

"I'm just an Agarwal with business in my blood," says the founder of streaming app, Ullu — as in the bird owl, commonly known for staying up all night. Meaning, in this case, men bingeing on Ullu's original content. Agarwal clarifies, "It's not only erotic; we mix and match. Even when you open erotic [shows/films], it's not just erotic, erotic, erotic — the erotic is inside the content!"

Vibhu Agarwal

Agarwal, in his mid-40s, who outsources production against a fee, also holds clear demarcation between "A-grade" stuff on his app (series such as Bull of Dalal Street, Kasak), and "B-grade" (likes of Mona Home Delivery, Khul Ja Sim Sim); besides censored and uncensored content.
In 2013, he made a failed attempt as producer with a Bollywood film, Baat Ban Gayi, starring Ali Fazal (best known on web as Guddu bhaiya from Mirzapur): "I was like Abhimanyu from Mahabharat, entering the Chakravyuh, without any idea of exit." He lost money, chiefly diverted from his steel business; returned to Lucknow, but determined to strike back.

"We watched TV as kids," he says. "Everybody from a small town, like me [thereafter] wants to be neta [politician] or abhineta [actor]. The arrival of [low-cost] Internet changed everything in 2016."

Ullu, with estimated 5 million active users, has over 100 original titles on its shelf — having achieved programming levels of two releases a week, before lockdown. It made up for it by deferred releases on the OTT app MX Player that has a self-reported 175 million active user-base. Seven out of 10 most-watched shows on MX are Ullu originals.

As for the most watched over-all, Agarwal names, "Charmsukh [pleasure of skin]. Kavita Bhabhi [self-explanatory]. A British publication, seeking an interview, mailed to say Kavita Bhabhi has had 200 million [pirated] downloads on Torrent!" Place them on the watch-list, we wonder. Oh you've already watched, don't lie.

Ullu, which has an estimated 5 million users, is currently in talks for tie-ups with collaborating firms in 18 countries, including Australia

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