Copyright Deadline
EXCLUSIVE: Pakistan‘s newest streamer on the block, Begin, has its sights set on the long term with a number of developments and deals in the offing just a year after launch. In an exclusive interview with Deadline about the MHL-owned service’s work to date and plans for the future, Begin CEO Jonathan Mark Tatti revealed the subscription streamer will add an advertiser-funded free tier, games, a micro-drama vertical in cohorts with tech provider Tencent, and its first original drama series. He also discussed competition from the likes of Netflix, Prime Video and Jazz Telecom’s local player Tamasha; when he expects the service to turn a profit (sooner than you’d think); and how Begin has acted to stop rampant piracy in Asia. The Dubai-based Begin shook up the Asian streaming market last year, debuting with an offer of western entertainment and local-language content. Deals with Sony Pictures Entertainment, NBCUniversal and Warner Bros Discovery were locked in, as were rights to the likes of the English Premier League, the PGA, La Liga, All Elite Wrestling, the Saudi Pro League and the English Football League. Begin has since been negotiating for more rights in main territory Pakistan, plus Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia and Nepal. The initial plan was to address the demand for entertainment services that was primarily being filled by illegal VPNs. Though Netflix and Prime Video had both successfully launched in Pakistan (“Netflix really changed the game,” observed Mark Tatti), the lack of choice meant many were accessing the likes of Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, ESPN and even regional players such as India’s ZEE5 Global through whatever means they could. “Where we fit is bringing everything to one platform – we saw the gap in the market,” said Mark Tatti. “These people had the purchasing power, and we decided we could bring that content into one place for much less. We are providing a hybrid model where the cost is far lower than what they’ve been paying, and it means they don’t have to have multiple apps on the phone. We all know how painful that can be.” Mark Tatti, a former CNBC Pakistan commercial chief and Head of Ad Sales for India’s Star TV and Zee Networks, began working with former client, Raihan Ali Merchant of media and tech biz MHL, on the service in 2022, and they formally joined forces a year later to establish Begin. The service launched in August last year with backing from MHL’s venture accelerator backer Z2C Limited, going live in several countries. It will open its doors in the UAE and Saudi next year. Begin is also about to close a first round of private investment, which Mark Tatti described as “not seeding funding, but more like Pre-Series A.” It’s all been part of establishing a new player with ambitions to fast become an incumbent. “Like any other business, it’s not been an easy ride, but we’re still here,” said Mark Tatti, who bullishly put a fourth quarter 2026 date on the streamer reaching profit. “That’s when we see ourselves out of the woods,” he added. Microdramas, AI & AVOD Getting accurate numbers for Pakistan’s streaming base is tough, and especially for those paying for. content. Begin’s biggest local rival is Tamasha, part of VEON-owned Jazz Telecom, which is an ad-supported service that last month passed the 25 million monthly active user mark in Pakistan. In comparison, even with limited local data it is thought Netflix has around 300,000 subscribers locally – south of the border in India, the U.S. giant has an estimated 40 million subs. Begin hasn’t revealed its subs number. With piracy still a huge issue and Pakistan hampered by a lack of credit cards among parts of the population, we can reveal Begin is planning a AVOD tier. “The freemium model that works well for Jazz, but the audiences we cater to are those willing to pay. Down the road we will be launching a freemium AVOD model, and that’s when we will roll out a connected TV model as well,” said Mark Tatti. He pointed to the growing digital literacy in Pakistan, where around 50% of the 250-million population are under the age of 30. “They’re mobile-friendly and mobile-first,” he added. The streamer had already experimented with free content with its recently-launched Pakistan Idol, the first local version of the Fremantle behemoth format in the country since 2013. The early stage audition episodes were offered for free (and also played on several free-to-air channels), with the latter studio episodes going behind the paywall. Mark Tatti said the response to Pakistan Idol, which is from 313 Productions, has been “phenomenal,” adding, “Music is a such a bonding experience. Urdu and Hindi are very similar languages, so a lot of people from India are following the show. In fact, the Pakistan Idol official page has more subscribers than Indian Idol. The interest is huge.” Begin also tapped into the creator economy for its launch of Spanish La Liga football, sending popular YouTuber Irfan Junejo to Spain to meet and interview players from Real Madrid and Barcelona. “Those collaborations will continue,” said Tatti. “No Pakistani YouTuber has done that before. It did wonders on social for us.” Several other plans are afoot including for a micro-drama vertical on the app, which is being launched in. conjunction with China’s Tencent Video. “We’re still working on branding and the name of it,” said Mark Tatti, who added commercial terms are also being agreed. “Because of the sheer size of their company, Tencent have access to a lot of content, which is picking up big time.” In a similar vein, Begin and Tencent are working on a “gaming solution,” which will provide an outlet for Pakistan’s fast growing e-sports market, and on AI integrations that will improve the user experience and usability. Original scripted content is also in the works, with Begin teaming with India’s Zee5 Global on a co-production featuring “a top Pakistani cast and big names.” The show, details of which are being kept under wraps, will launch in coming months. Meanwhile, a launch in the UAE and Saudi next year provides a big challenge and opportunity. “There’s a huge South Asian population there,” said Mark Tatti. “I can’t compete with the Netflixes, Shahids and Starz Plays of the region, but I can provide them with regional-language content. In Pakistan, we’re top of the pyramid, and in KSA we’re at the bottom.” Tackling the pirates The final element of the Begin story is how it has put tackling piracy at the center of its business model. Prior to launch, its parent MHL joined the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), an anti-piracy body, with Merchant saying the move represented a “long-standing commitment to protecting licensed content and fostering a responsible content ecosystem.” The issue is particularly big in sports streaming, and with that being a central part of Begin’s content offer, it’s a battle that Mark Tatti and co needed to fight – and one they believe they’re winning. “We’ve got a really good team working on piracy in the background,” he said. “We’ve taken court orders for all content we have rights to, and we’re making a full prong attack. We’re not just talking to the ISPs, but also to the broadcasters who are being targeted. They have been very helpful. I would say we’ve managed to cut piracy by 70%.” Still, it remains a “whack-a-mole situation,” he added. “You’ve got to stay on top of it.” A similar level of intensity will be needed across the business to keep Begin’s rise going. “Sometimes I wake up in the morning saying to myself, ‘What did I do?’,” said Mark Tatti. “But I fall back asleep confident we did the right thing.”
