Contagious Online Media Network Pvt Ltd, which runs The Viral Fever (TVF), turned profitable in FY22, recording Rs 5.73 crore in actual profit after tax compared to losses of Rs 14.73 crore in FY21

On a standalone basis, TVF’s total income in the financial year ended March 31, 2022 generated was Rs 79.22 crore—an over 117% increase from Rs 36.45 crore recorded in the last fiscal, according to filings with the Registrar of Companies (RoC).

The company hasn’t made any major changes to its managerial front, with Arunabh Kumar staying as Executive Director—the role he was appointed in 2015.

Founded in 2012, the journey began when Arunabh, an IIT-Kharagpur graduate with film and advertising experience, and a few other IITians started posting videos on YouTube. The YouTube channel’s breakthrough moment came in 2012 when Rowdies, a spoof on the reality tv show Roadies, went viral. While launching a new show every year on the YouTube channel with parody videos, TVF also started TVFPlay, a streaming platform for their own shows, in 2015.

Working majorly on a licensing model in FY22, TVF released shows, including the second season of Gullak and Kota Factory, among many other shows, which helped pull in the operating income. This more than doubled the cost of production from nearly Rs 16 crore in FY21 to Rs Rs 38 crore in the last fiscal.

TVF, which now employs 175 people, currently has over 20 shows and multiple YouTube-sponsored videos in development. The company is also turning to movie production and launched a motion pictures division in April 2022.

The content producer’s first film project is expected to hit the theatres by the end of 2023.