Netflix And Kommune Lead The Charge In Reimagining Diverse Dubbing For The Future

Kommune and Netflix India have launched the third edition of Voices of Tomorrow (VOT), part of the Voice Equity Project. As India's only professional initiative of its kind, VOT aims to diversify the dubbing industry by training and promoting voice talent from two underrepresented groups: adults over 45 and LGBTQIA+ individuals. The program offers comprehensive dubbing training, promotes voice acting as a viable career, and creates a safe, inclusive environment for participants. VOT seeks to enrich mainstream media voices, break down barriers, and spark conversations about inclusivity in the entertainment sector. Through this initiative, Netflix India and Kommune are working towards a more diverse and representative future for the dubbing industry.

The 5-month program is set to take place from September 2024 to January 2025 in collaboration with multiple Queer collectives and NGOs that work with senior citizens, along with Mumbai-based artist organisations and talent agencies. Through this partnership, it aims to test the voices of approximately 500 individuals, ultimately shortlisting 300 of them for in-person auditions.

According to the latest FICCI and EY media and entertainment industry report, OTT platforms continue to flourish and achieve scale through dubbing and subtitling as the share of vernacular content is projected to rise to 55% of all content produced. Additionally, the global e-learning market is projected to reach USD 325 billion by 2025, new opportunities are emerging for aspiring voice-over artists. However, dubbing as a profession is currently lesser known than other fields, with limited pathways for aspiring artists. VOT aims to change the status quo by bringing more representation to the Indian media space to bring out a change in the pre-existing system through diversity and inclusion. With ‘Authenticity of Voice’ as the core motto of Voice of Tomorrow, the program aims to offer a safe space for the participants from the queer community to introduce more trained LGBTQIA+ artists into the dubbing talent pool, along with providing a second chance to the senior participants to follow their passion and bring in real voices from the acting, theatre and other performance arts communities.

Tapping into the market need for diverse voices and projecting the growth of the industry, in the first edition, the initiative selected individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community and children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Owing to the success of the previous edition, the second edition focused on senior adults and LGBTQIA+ individuals. A total of 21 participants were chosen in the first year, followed by 25 in the second, each receiving professional training to launch their careers as dubbing artists. Following the training, multiple participants from the previous two editions have kickstarted their careers in dubbing through various voice projects, including dubbing for movies, series, audiobooks, ads, etc. in Hindi and their regional languages. Additionally, the training has also empowered the participants to succeed in other allied fields like podcasting, theatre, and translating, among others. This success of the initiative over the past two years has led Kommune and Netflix India to come back with another edition of this exciting opportunity to discover new talent.

Speaking on the third edition of the initiative, Roshan Abbas, Founder, Kommune India, said, “We're thrilled to have Netflix's support for the third edition of ‘Voices of Tomorrow’ an initiative that amplifies the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community and senior talents. Their backing is crucial in nurturing a diverse range of voices and experiences, offering a platform for stories that resonate with everyone. This partnership is a testament to the power of collaborative efforts in creating a more inclusive media landscape.”

Adding to this, Ashwini Kulkarni, Country Manager, International Dubbing, Netflix, said, “At Netflix Dubbing, we connect our members with stories from around the world. Bringing alive stories with local voices, creating dubbed and descriptive audio that is immersive and authentic to the original creative intent has played an important part in helping stories find a new audience. Voices of Tomorrow is a step towards fostering diversity in the talent pipeline. We are proud to support Kommune as they create & hold space for the dubbing community to ensure that our voices truly sound like its people.”

Who Can Apply

Voices of Tomorrow aims to enhance the passion of eligible participants for providing voice acting for characters in movies or television shows.

•  Self-declared members of the LGBTQIA+ community who are of legal age, i.e., 18 years and older
• Individuals who are 45 years old and older
• The candidates must be citizens of India while residing in Mumbai, as the training will be held in the city itself
• As an additional requirement, the applicants must have the ability to understand and communicate in Hindi

Commenting on their experience, Sanket Mhatre, Trainer, Voices of Tomorrow, said, “As a Voice Artist, I'm excited to return for the 2024 run of our Dubbing and Vocal training initiative. I'm thankful to Netflix and Kommune for their continued support and for welcoming me back. This initiative remains dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ community and senior citizens, focusing on enhancing dubbing skills while fostering inclusivity, breaking stereotypes, and amplifying unheard voices. Together, we’re creating a safe space for everyone- regardless of age or identity- to explore dubbing and express their authentic voices in this beautiful craft."

Adding to the same, Hetal Varia, Trainer, Voices of Tomorrow, said, “Voices of Tomorrow is a brilliant, one-of-a-kind initiative by Kommune and Netflix. This groundbreaking program celebrates diverse voices and talents, breaking stereotypes and redefining the voice talent landscape. I had the privilege of mentoring two exceptional cohorts—Senior Voices and Queer Voices—on a transformative journey of self-discovery, skill expansion, and stereotype-breaking. The journey has been full of aha moments. In our last run, the participants unlocked their unique vocal identities, explored and expanded skills across voice, speech, accents, and dialects, uncovering a remarkable aptitude for vocal versatility among many participants. This experience was truly magical, and I'm thrilled to be a part of yet another Voices of Tomorrow.”

This year’s initiative aims to identify and train raw voice talent through an 8-week intensive dubbing training program. The project will be executed in partnership with various queer collectives and NGOs supporting senior citizens, alongside Mumbai-based artist organizations and talent agencies, to shortlist 25 participants. These individuals will receive hands-on training from renowned voice coach Hetal Varia and popular dubbing artist Sanket Mhatre. The program has already shown great success, as exemplified by last year’s senior batch participant, Sundiep Arya, who is currently working on seven projects, including several regional titles. This year, a total of 13 projects featuring participants from the Voices of Tomorrow initiative are in the pipeline, set to be released over the next year. The selected individuals will also gain valuable knowledge from guest lecturers from Netflix partner studios and will receive an opportunity to record multiple voice samples, building their profile for Netflix partners and other studios, helping them enter the casting stream. Additionally, the VOT team provides continuous support by tracking participants’ progress, assisting with opportunities, and addressing any questions or concerns they may have, ensuring a comprehensive journey into the dubbing field.

With the hope of creating a positive impact, Voices of Tomorrow is calling on aspiring voices aged 45 and above, as well as individuals aged 18 and above from the LGBTQIA+ community, to join in contributing to the various narratives of the dubbing industry. To apply, find more information here.