Streaming has become second nature to how we consume entertainment today. We move fluidly between platforms, subscribing and unsubscribing based on what catches our interest at any given moment.
While this flexibility is convenient, it has also made streaming increasingly expensive, and at times overwhelming. With so much global content competing for attention, it often feels like quantity has overtaken quality.
For Sri Lankan audiences, this has long raised a familiar frustration: where do you go when you want to watch original Sri Lankan content, particularly in Sinhala, that isn’t already airing on network television?
Outside of cinema releases or reorganising your day around fixed TV schedules, the options have traditionally been limited. And for viewers accustomed to on-demand viewing, returning fully to appointment television is no longer an easy adjustment.
This is the space Derana Plus aims to occupy. The newly launched platform enters the streaming landscape with a clear promise – Sri Lankan stories, made for streaming, accessible anytime.
Featuring original Sinhala content created exclusively for the platform, from mini-series and serials to films and documentaries, Derana Plus brings local storytelling directly to viewers’ devices. Notably, it does so without a subscription fee. Available on Android, iOS, web, and smart TVs, the platform requires only an internet connection.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Brunch, TV Derana Executive Director and Chief Operations Officer Madhawa Madawala explained that Derana Plus was developed with a clear focus on Sri Lankan audiences and storytelling.
“The ethos behind launching this platform is really about creating something for Sri Lankan audiences, with content they cannot find on any other platform,” he said. “We wanted to build a space where local stories, talent, and creativity could truly take centre stage.”
Madawala noted that the shift towards on-demand viewing had been impossible to ignore, both locally and globally. “Video on demand is the global trend right now,” he explained. “People want to access their entertainment at their convenience, at their fingertips, whenever and wherever they choose.”
Madawala also shared that Derana Plus was designed specifically to meet this change in viewing behaviour. “What we have done is made that possible for Sri Lankan content,” he said. “We wanted to be among the first to offer a truly accessible video-on-demand experience centred on local productions.”
He added that the platform represented more than a technical upgrade, it signalled a shift in how local content was valued. “For a long time, Sri Lankan stories were tied to specific time slots or physical spaces like cinemas,” Madawala said. “Derana Plus allows those stories to exist freely, on their own terms, and reach audiences far beyond traditional boundaries.”
Powered by the Derana Media Network, Derana Plus is positioned as an Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming service, combining live television with on-demand viewing while placing strong emphasis on exclusive original content. The platform caters to viewers within Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan diaspora worldwide, younger digital-first audiences, and families seeking trusted local content.
Explaining the thinking behind the launch, Derana Macroentertainment Ltd. Senior General Manager Puritha Wijewickrama said the platform was built on years of industry insight. “We’ve been leaders in the industry for nearly two decades, and over that time we’ve identified gaps in the streaming space,” he said. “Derana Plus is our way of addressing those gaps directly.”
He was quick to emphasise that the platform is not an extension of existing TV programming. “Our tagline ‘Thawa TV Ekak Nove’ roughly translates to ‘not another TV channel,’” Wijewickrama explained. “We are focused on creating 100% original content, along with new films and exclusive productions made specifically for streaming.”
At the heart of the platform is a simple belief. “Content is king,” he said. “As a network that understands the local audience, we know what people want to watch, and that’s why we felt confident stepping into this space.”
Adding to this perspective, Derana Senior Administration Executive – Fiction Gayathri Perera highlighted several features that distinguished Derana Plus from other platforms. “Audiences can already stream films, teledramas, documentaries, and live shows,” she said, noting that this was the first time a Sri Lankan television network had launched its own OTT platform.
She added that Derana Plus was experimenting across genres, including thriller, comedy, adventure mini-series, documentaries, and even dubbed international content such as select Bengali films, available exclusively on the platform. Subtitling for Sinhala content and future Tamil-language offerings are also in the pipeline.
With live reality shows, interactive voting features, exclusive film releases, and original digital-first storytelling, Derana Plus positions itself as more than just another streaming option. Free at the point of entry, locally rooted yet globally accessible, it marks a significant step in bringing Sri Lankan content confidently into the on-demand era, built for how audiences watch today.