Though it’s bursting with original Indian content and backed by a major studio known for its blockbusters, is Eros Now really the service you demand?
Though it lacks the Western media partnerships of upstart competitors Hotstar and HOOQ, Eros Now is a video-on-demand service that still offers a good selection of Bollywood, Hindi, Tamil and regional Indian movies, TV shows, originals and music videos. And, as a bonus, this South Asian VOD service also lets you listen to official soundtracks drawn from top Bollywood movies.
Is that enough, though? India’s streaming wars are no longer being fought by just the homegrown outlets – both Amazon and Netflix have not only expanded into South Asia but are also releasing several local productions while deploying serious marketing budgets. This is great news for you, the viewer, since you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to entertainment. So let’s get into why (or why not) Eros Now deserves your hard earned cash.
How much does Eros Now cost?
Unlike the previous two plans, which are limited to the Indian region, the Premium route opens Eros Now’s library to international viewers. You’ll get access to the full features set of the Plus option, but the sign-up price varies from country to country. For example: UK viewers will pay GBP£4.99 per month, US viewers will pay US$7.99, Malaysian viewers will pay MYR10 and UAE viewers will pay AED20.
You should also know that Eros Now supports India’s three most trusted epayment providers – Paytm, FreeCharge and MobiKwik. So signing up is both secure and simple.
How does Eros Now compare?
What content does Eros Now offer?
Eros Now Premium boasts 11,000 titles that include TV series, movies, music videos and 2.5 lakhs music tracks. At the time of writing (November 2018), you can expect to find blockbuster films to watch like Shubh Mangal Savdhan, Mukkabaaz, Munna Michael, Bajirao Mastani, Tanu Weds Manu, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Ki & Ka, English Vinglish, Sellvandhan, Zindagi Virat, Maine Pyaar Kiya and Padosan to name but a few. Better yet, this platform has a collection of international shows which are aired on Hum TV, ARY TV and many other titles across 10 Indian regional languages.
It should also be noted that Eros Now has a wide array of partnerships in place. In terms of content providers, they’re allied with ZEE TV, Salman Khan Films and Dharma Productions. Distribution partnerships have also been set up with Idea Cellular, U Mobile and Vodafone to ensure Eros Now gels better with data plan offers and runs smoothly on 4G-enabled devices.
In line with other major VOD service providers, since early 2018 Eros Now has been dabbling in its own original content creations. Starting with short-films, like Toffee, Eros followed this up by releasing Meri Nimmo (India’s first direct-to-digital film) and then original series like Side Hero and Smoke. The latter two have seen decent critical acclaim and ought to serve as a beachhead for yet more quality original programming.
What devices are compatible with Eros Now?
Eros Now can be played on an impressively wide variety of platforms and desktop browsers. App-wise, iOS users will need iOS 7.0 or above. Firmware requirements for Android users can vary from device to device, but as a general guide, you will need at least Android version 4.4.2.
Beyond those major platforms, Eros Now offers support for Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Amazon Fire Stick, Chromecast, JadooTV, Roku, Android TV and Opera TV.
Does Eros Now offer a free trial?
Absolutely, but only if you’re willing to surrender some personal info and payment details. Provide that and you can sample the Premium service for 14 days. This will allow you to stream unlimited movies, TV shows, music videos, and Eros Now Originals from your computer, smart phone or streaming player. Once that period ends, you’ll be automatically charged a monthly rate unless you cancel beforehand.
How much data does Eros Now use?
Note: these are all rough estimates only. Your mileage may vary.