Vuclip, a VOD service provider for emerging markets, has announced its plans for a new slate of Arabic Viu Originals to be aired starting in December 2017 and the roll out of ten Asian Viu Originals in the Middle East.

Viu is an OTT video service with a reported 21 million downloads across 15 markets including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and the Middle East countries of Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Viu has developed more than 3,000 hours of original content across Asia, with a format that targets millennials.

“Our originals globally have been very well received by Viu’ers and this propels us to create many more fresh and engaging originals for a youthful audience. We are excited to see the young talent and creativity in the Middle East and are committed to building a robust opportunity for these artists here,” said Arun Prakash, President and COO of Vuclip.

For its first Arabic original with the working title of Hob Al Tayebin, a family comedy, Vuclip has partnered with Saudi based entertainment company UTurn. In the meantime, additional originals now available in the Middle East include:

• Gehraiyaan, a supernatural thriller directed by Vikram Bhatt
• Spotlight, a show giving a peek into the dark side of Bollywood, also directed by Vikram Bhatt
• Social, a thriller that begins in the social media space and eventually permeates physical reality, starring Indian actor Rana Daggubati
• What the Duck 1 and 2, two seasons of a comedic cricket themed chat show
• Wedding Khichdi, a romantic comedy about arranged marriages in India
• Challiya, an affable show about a comedy of errors
• No 1 Yaari, a Telugu Chat show with one of the biggest starts, Rana Daggubati
• Switch, a romantic comedy drama series set in Indonesia about two best friends whose lives turn upside down when one fateful night their souls switch
• The Publicist, a story also set in Indonesia about the relationship between a troubled actor, Reynaldi, whose career is in jeopardy following a scandal, and a publicist, Julia