Updated below YouTube got its first major Bollywood blockbuster release on January 27th: Dabanng, among the most popular films to be released in India in 2010 was premiered on the Google owned video sharing site, in partnership with Reliance Home Video. This is by no means the first Bollywood movie to be officially released online - Vivah from Rajshri Films was premiered online on its day of release, on Rajshri Media. Since then, Rajshri.com, Reliance ADAG company BigFlix and Eros Entertainment have been offering movies on demand, on rent and for streaming. On YouTube itself, studios like Studio18 and Rajshri Films have been publishing full length movies on YouTube; Striker was premiered online almost a month ago. Of course, we're not taking into account all the movies pirated on YouTube, split into 15-20 parts. Then why is Dabanng's premiere on YouTube interesting? - Firstly, it's the fact that it is being released by Reliance Home Video, which, it appears, chose YouTube over sister concern BigFlix. It's an indirect acknowledgement of the fact that YouTube is bigger as a video streaming destination. Was it easier to convince an advertiser for YouTube? - Secondly, the online premiere of Dabanng has Hindustan Unilever as a exclusive sponsor, and they've got a tiny, incomprehensible ad, in the header, and no display ad on the page. Little point in that kind of advertising, with no display ads on the page unlike the advertising the YouTube provided during the live streaming of the IPL's last season. In whatever…
