In a milestone move aimed at decentralizing Odisha’s digital content creation, AAO NXT, the state’s premier OTT platform, will officially launch its Western Division initiative, ‘AAO NXT – JUHAR’, on 24th August 2025 at Hotel Grand Siba, Sambalpur, starting 5 PM. This special gathering will bring together more than 100 eminent artists, music directors, creators, singers, lyricists, and writers with the shared vision of elevating Sambalpuri-language content production to new heights.
With ‘JUHAR’, AAO NXT is placing Western Odisha’s rich cultural heritage and creative talent at the forefront of the region’s growing digital entertainment sector. The new vertical soon to be live on AAO NXT’s app and web platform will serve as a cultural and creative hub, enabling emerging storytellers, filmmakers, writers, and technicians from Western Odisha to create, collaborate, and launch content that reflects the region’s authentic voice.
“This is more than a launch, it’s a promise. Western Odisha carries centuries of storytelling, music, and traditions that deserve digital expression and global visibility,” said Mr. Kaushik Das, Founder & CEO of AAO NXT.
Western Odisha, known for its Sambalpuri heritage, expressive folk art, vibrant dialects, and powerful narratives, has often remained on the margins of mainstream entertainment. AAO NXT – JUHAR aims to change that by offering local creators access to mentorship, production infrastructure, and direct-to-platform opportunities that align with professional standards.
The launch event will also serve as a platform to outline AAO NXT JUHAR’s mission to create meaningful opportunities, foster creative collaborations, and strengthen the cultural identity of Western Odisha through impactful storytelling and quality productions.
Earlier this month, on 3rd August 2025 AAO NXT inaugurated its western division office at – Happy Valley, Dhumamara, Balangir, & hosted an unveiling ceremony where the poster of ‘KEREK’, a powerful new Sambalpuri web series was revealed. The show, set to launch exclusively on AAO NXT, is a deep dive into the lived experiences, challenges, and cultural layers of the region, told with unflinching honesty and emotional resonance. More than just a show, ‘KEREK’ signals a broader shift in storytelling, one where indigenous narratives take centre stage and regional content is celebrated, not sidelined.
AAO NXT – JUHAR is expected to:
- Incubate and promote local storytelling talent.
- Create employment within the creative and production sectors.
- Expand the Odia OTT content universe with diverse and authentic narratives.
- Inspire cultural pride and global recognition for Western Odisha’s artistic identity.
This expansion further strengthens AAO NXT’s core vision to make high-quality, regional content accessible to wider audiences and to place Odia stories on the national and international map.
