Netflix's Bard Of Blood
Not a Netflix member? You can still watch the first episode of "Bard Of Blood". The streaming giant has made the first episode of its India original series available to non-members in the country for a limited time, for the very first time. Users can directly log on to Netlix.com/bardofblood to watch the free first episode of Emran Hashmi starrer web series.
The move seems aimed at getting people hooked to the spy thriller, and attract more subscribers amid growing competition in the country.
"At Netflix, we try different ways to bring people closer to great stories. We believe many people will find the thrilling story of spy Kabir Anand very appealing and are excited to make the first episode of the series available to everyone for a limited time. In the future, we will consider if we will do this for other films and series," the company said in a statement.
Based on Bilal Siddiqui's book "The Bard Of Blood", the show is set against the backdrop of the Indian subcontinent. The multi-lingual series will tell the story of an expelled spy, Kabir Anand (essayed by Emraan Hashmi), who is recalled from his new life as a professor to save Indian spies captured by the Taliban.
"Mission briefing from Agent Kabir Anand: Preview the first episode of #BardOfBlood without sign up here," Emraan posted on Twitter, and shared a link with his over 2 million followers.
Produced by Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment, the show, directed by Ribhu Dasgupta, also features Shobhita Dhulipala, Kirti Kulhari and Vineet Kumar.
The episode is currently accessible on the Netflix homepage and the page listing "Bard of Blood" episodes on the OTT platform.
Netflix had tested its free limited access offer with a for a show titled "Elite" in Mexico and Colombia earlier this month.
The global streaming giant might be going big with the content library, but its growth is actually facing a slump. Growing competition seems to be the reason behind the downward spiral. In a bid to attract more customers Netflix had recently a special Rs 199 pack for mobile users in India, aiming to make its subscription plan more accessible to general users in the country.
Back in July, Netflix had revealed that it lost US streaming subscribers in the second quarter for the first time in its history.
(with IANS inputs)
