Amazon Inks Exclusive Worldwide Streaming Deal With Bollywood Star Salman Khan

The video giant’s deal with the star’s banner follows a similar deal rival Netflix has with top star Shah Rukh Khan’s banner.

Amazon Prime Video has inked a pact with Bollywood star Salman Khan’s banner that gives the video giant exclusive worldwide streaming rights to his catalog and upcoming titles.

The deal builds on the video giant’s aggressive local content strategy as seen in earlier deals signed with other leading Bollywood and regional language banners.

While financial terms were not provided, Prime Video head of content, Asia Pacific James Farrell said in a statement that “this exclusive worldwide Prime Video streaming deal with him is one of the biggest star deals to have ever been done in the world.”

Amazon’s deal with Khan, who is one of India’s most bankable stars, follows a similar deal rival Netflix has signed with top star Shah Rukh Khan’s banner, Red Chillies Entertainment, which was unveiled just a day after Amazon launched its service in India in December.

The agreement with Salman Khan Ventures covers the actor’s recent release, Tubelight, along with earlier titles, such as 2015’s hit Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Kick, Jai Ho and Hero. Future films produced by the banner will first premiere on Amazon Prime Video after their theatrical release and two months before television premieres or any other form of distribution.

“This is another big step to change the way how Indian customers consume entertainment with Salman’s movies coming first to Prime Video customers, before their television broadcast,” said Amazon Video India director and country head Nitesh Kripalani.

“Amazon Prime Video reaches over 200 countries and territories and I am happy to collaborate with Amazon Prime Video and expand the reach of Indian cinema,” said Khan.

Both streaming video giants have been competing aggressively on original Indian content. Amazon recently premiered its first Indian original, Inside Edge, based on cricket, while Netflix is in production on its first Indian original, Sacred Games, for which it recently announced that the series would be headlined by Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan.