New Delhi, July 14 -- The next breakout OTT hit may no longer depend on a marquee cast or blockbuster marketing budget. Instead, streaming platforms are increasingly relying on AI-powered recommendation engines, rich metadata, mood-based discovery and personalization to connect viewers with content they are most likely to enjoy.

As content libraries grow larger and more fragmented, the focus is shifting from simply pushing popular titles to improving discoverability. The change is helping smaller, regional and niche shows reach audiences who may never have found them otherwise.

The absence of stars or an established franchise hasn't stopped several small-budget streaming originals from finding audiences. Titles such as Chiraiya, Ab Hoga...