Launched in October 2023 under the MCOM18 umbrella, JOJO is Gujarat’s first dedicated OTT platform, designed to transform the regional entertainment landscape through a powerful digital-first ecosystem. With over 52 lakh users worldwide and a presence in 177+ countries, JOJO connects global Gujarati audiences through a seamless blend of content creation, distribution, and monetization. Backed by JOJO Studios and Premier Ads World, the platform nurtures homegrown storytelling while offering targeted solutions for advertisers. Its growing content library, including blockbusters and Gujarat’s first long-format web series, reflects its commitment to quality and innovation.
In this exclusive interaction, Dhruvin Shah, Founder, CEO JOJO, speaks to Medianews4U about the platform’s vision, growth strategy, and its mission to redefine Gujarati digital entertainment.
He is an entrepreneur, actor, and creative producer at the helm of MCOM18. He has led MCOM18 into a new era of digital transformation, content innovation, and global cultural outreach.
Under his leadership, MCOM18 has built an entertainment ecosystem encompassing diverse verticals such as JOJO OTT, JOJO Studios, Premier Ads World, JOJO Global (USA), JOJO CMS, JOJO Games, JOJO Events, JOJO Kids, and JOJO Bhakti. Each of these platforms plays a unique role in delivering high-quality, culturally rooted content to audiences in Gujarat and across the world.
With over a decade of experience in the industry, Dhruvin has produced several Gujarati blockbusters including ‘Super Star’, ‘Veer Isha Nu Seemant’ and ‘Medal’. His most notable achievement is the launch of JOJO, Gujarat’s first free OTT platform, which has rapidly become the fastest-growing digital destination for Gujarati content. He has also expanded into global film distribution, amplifying the reach of Gujarati cinema.
His commitment to preserving and celebrating Gujarati culture is evident in his brainchild—the 9 Movie Club, an initiative that brings together the global Gujarati diaspora through the power of cinema.
Beyond the entertainment space, he also owns the Gujarat Lions, the inaugural champions of the All-Stars Tennis Ball Cricket League, highlighting his multifaceted leadership in sports and community engagement.
Q. A recent report noted that 90 per cent of OTT content is discarded by audiences in the country. Your take on this and what the industry needs to do?
It’s definitely an eye-opener, but not surprising. Today, people are quick to move on if something doesn’t grab them right away. It’s not about short attention spans—it’s about content not being relevant. At JOJO, we have noticed that when we create stories that are rooted in local culture with real emotion and a strong, relatable storyline, people stick around. For us, it’s all about curating content that feels true to its audience and delivers something fresh.
Q. Is creating content at the right price point the challenge for the OTT industry?
I would rather say that the real challenge lies in the clarity. It’s knowing exactly who you’re speaking to and why. When we greenlight a Gujarati show, we are not trying to please ten demographics in ten languages.
That focus unlocks efficiency. We can invest wisely—whether in sharp writing, local talent, or targeted marketing—and see real returns. So yes, price matters, but strategy matters more. Value is not about how little you spend; it’s about how effectively you spend.
Q. Is there a need to move beyond Bollywood tropes? Is that another issue the industry is facing?
Absolutely. Bollywood tropes have been a comfort zone for decades, but the audience is evolving—and their aspirations are too. The industry can’t keep serving recycled formulas and expect excitement.
For us, we are consciously moving away from imitating the mainstream and building what feels fresh, rooted, and bold within Gujarati culture. Our aim is to offer high-value Gujarati content to our audience. We are driving that shift with genre diversity, visual ambition, and storytelling confidence.
Q. Is content often perceived to be generic even in regional languages? If so, what is the solution?
Yes, and the reason is simple: regional often becomes a language filter, not a storytelling lens. Dubbing a Hindi show into Gujarati doesn’t make it regional—it makes it distant.
We believe regional storytelling needs to be born in the soil it speaks to. That means Gujarati writers, Gujarati emotions, Gujarati rhythm. We work with local creators not for “authenticity optics” but because they know the nuance and pulse that truly lands. That is where we find the new definition: from translation to transformation.
Q. What was the whitespace seen that led to the creation of Jojo in October 2023? What targets have been set in the short term, medium term and long term?
The biggest whitespace was the lack of a dedicated Gujarati OTT platform. Sure, regional sections existed on mainstream platforms—but Gujarati stories didn’t have a home. We saw a clear gap between demand and representation. Short term, we focussed on building a strong content slate and brand identity.
Mid-term, we are scaling our tech, creator partnerships, and verticals like JOJO Kids and Bhakti. Long term, the goal is to build a robust monetisation ecosystem, support creators financially and creatively, and become the go-to global destination for Gujarati entertainment.
Q. The aim is to make Gujarati content globally accessible and profitable for creators, while bringing regional stories to the forefront. What does all this entail?
It means building an ecosystem—not just a content catalogue. We support creators from script to screen, offer them streaming access, and help with release and marketing strategies. We’re also ensuring diaspora access—our tech enables viewing in regions with patchy internet, and we use geo-specific recommendations. It’s a 360-degree approach.
On the global side, whether it’s a Navratri event in Australia or a film premiere in the UK, JOJO is designed to carry Gujarati identity beyond borders—while ensuring creators are paid, promoted, and positioned for growth.
Q. The aim is to build Gujarati OTT to be at par with South Indian industries. What is the big challenge going to be to reach the scale of Tamil, Telugu content and the learnings from the success of those languages?
The South didn’t just scale—they treated their language like legacy. Tamil and Telugu industries thrived because they valued their stories as primary, not peripheral. That mindset shift built an ecosystem where creators took bigger swings, and audiences showed up with pride.
Gujarati content doesn’t lack talent or reach—it lacks a stage that believes in its potential without compromise. That’s where JOJO comes in. JOJO is here to give that space.
Q. Movies versus TV shows. What resonates more in Gujarat?
In Gujarat, movies still bring in that ‘event’ energy—especially when there’s a known face or a festive release. But as an OTT platform rooted in this market, we’ve seen something shift. It’s the series—emotional dramas, family sagas, even nostalgia-driven reality formats—that people come back to.
They don’t just watch, they build routines around it. We’ve seen families binge a show over dinner, discussing characters like they’re neighbors. For us at JOJO, it’s not about choosing between movies or shows—it’s about knowing when Gujaratis want celebration, and when they want connection.
Q. Since there is Gujarati diaspora across the world including the US, UK, are foreign markets as important as India for Gujarati content?
They’re not just important—they’re central to our model. From the start, we didn’t look at international as a Phase 2 plan. Gujaratis in the UK, US, Africa, Australia—they’re often looking for a slice of home. That’s why JOJO was built with diaspora audiences in mind.
The app is lightweight, with a Gujarati-first interface, and the content often ties into cultural moments that matter abroad. In fact, in some cases, engagement from the diaspora has even surpassed that of local audiences—and that speaks volumes about the emotional pull of good, rooted storytelling.
Q. Is Jojo’s business model subscription? Or are regional-focussed ad solutions via Premier Ads World equally important?
It’s a hybrid model by design. Subscriptions help build a committed viewer base and allow for deeper engagement. At the same time, our regional-focused advertising model—via Premier Ads World—drives accessibility and reach, especially for first-time digital audiences.
Regional brands often feel lost on mainstream platforms. JOJO offers them a focussed, language-first environment with high viewer relevance.
The models are equally important—they serve different audiences but work together to create a balanced, sustainable ecosystem, without compromising on content quality for anyone.
Q. What kinds of brand integration solutions is Jojo looking at?
We recognise that conventional brand integrations alone aren’t enough. We believe true brand storytelling requires meaningful, narrative-driven relevance. We’re rethinking integration by placing brands within Gujarati stories organically and authentically, creating seamless viewer experiences that enhance recall without disrupting immersion.
Whether it’s weaving a local cookware brand naturally into culinary programming or embedding a family product authentically within JOJO Kids, our aim is for brands to feel like characters within our stories—not interruptions.
This approach is about deeper, culturally resonant connections, positioning JOJO as a pioneer in blending storytelling and branding with true relevance.
Q. Could you shed light on the strategy of blending modern tech with cultural storytelling via apps, CMS and monetisation tools?
Our core vision is to use technology as a bridge to cultural storytelling—not just as an operational backbone. JOJO’s CMS is being built entirely in-house, removing barriers and enabling us to control every detail—from dialect precision and hyper-localised metadata to geo-targeted thumbnails and personalized user journeys.
Our apps, driven by advangeo-targetting and individual-level insights, provide a genuinely tailored Gujarati-first experience. Monetisation across AVOD, SVOD, and TVOD allows flexibility for regional advertisers to engage precisely with Gujarati-speaking audiences, bringing unparalleled scale and relevance. Technology at JOJO isn’t just functional; it’s foundational.
Q. How important is the gaming vertical for JOJO? Does it allow for a lot more immersiveness?
It’s a growing priority. Gaming opens up interactivity, engagement, and a younger user base. JOJO Rasoi is one example—but we plan to develop more. It’s not just play—it’s storytelling that the user can touch.
That stickiness builds loyalty, and more importantly, makes JOJO not just a viewing app, but an engagement hub.
Q. JOJO also focusses on kids. Is viewership there shifting from linear to digital? Where is the momentum?
Today’s Gujarati parents seek trustworthy, safe, and culturally resonant digital experiences for their kids. JOJO Kids answers this by offering richly animated stories from local folklore, language-focused learning experiences, and engaging, short-form edutainment.
Our momentum comes from creating a platform that’s genuinely rooted in Gujarati heritage, attracting parents who want digital content to be culturally meaningful, educational, and entertaining. We’re building a future where digital content isn’t just viewed—it’s fostering cultural pride among the next generation.
Q. How has AI been integrated into JOJO to identify market gaps, operate in an efficient manner etc?
For us, AI is a practical tool to better understand our viewers and improve content decisions—not an overhyped revolution. We’re using AI mainly to identify viewer trends, analyse engagement patterns, and predict churn more accurately. It helps us know what content resonates, which thumbnails work better, and when viewers might lose interest.
On the creative side, AI aids us in automating routine tasks such as providing personalised content recommendations, and improving our text-to-speech capabilities, making content creation and delivery smoother and more efficient. Overall, AI at JOJO is about smarter workflows and more
