MUMBAI: YouTube India has launched a new destination for all the movie buffs titled YouTube Box Office. This exclusive channel will feature a premium blockbuster movie every month free of cost. Google’s online video streaming website has partnered with Yash Raj Films to kick-start the initiative with Band Baaja Baaraat starring Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma.

The YouTube Box Office channel will also feature other popular movies, which users can watch for free from the YouTube catalogue of movies that includes over 1500 titles. Intel has taken the lead to bring this initiative to users in India and will be the exclusive presenting sponsor for the channel.

YouTube Japan-APAC director content partnerships Gautam Anand said, "We wish to create a destination for users which is easily discoverable and also help our content partners get more viewers for their premium content. With over 48 hours of content being uploaded on YouTube every minute, this is our attempt to curate premium and exclusive content which our users enjoy. This initiative also opens up a new window of opportunities for marketers to utilize the platform and engage the YouTube community."

YouTube will collaborate with its partners in India on a revenue share basis to bring more of such premium content on YouTube Box Office every month.

Yash Raj Films general manager – digital and new media Anand Gurnani added, "Apart from offering tremendous reach, evolved digital platforms like YouTube also enable the monetization aspect through advertising revenues in an unobtrusive manner, while offering a great online viewing experience to the users. We are sure this project will throw up interesting insights and consumption patterns of the digital-friendly audience."

Prior to this, YouTube India streamed Salman Khan’s blockbuster film Dabangg for users in India, which got over 1.3 million channel views.

The YouTube Box Office channel will be available to all users in India and will be IP blocked for users in other countries.