Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan will be the first Indian celebrity to lend his voice to Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant starting next year, as the Silicon Valley giant expands its presence in the massive market.
Talking about the collaboration, Amitabh Bachchan said in a statement, “Technology has always given me an opportunity to adapt to new forms. Be it in movies, TV shows, podcasts and now, I am excited to create this voice experience in partnership with Amazon and Alexa. With voice technology, we are building something to engage more effectively with my audience and well-wishers.”
India is a key growth market for Amazon outside the US, as the e-commerce platform is most popular in Germany and other European countries at the moment. But India’s strong smartphone adoption and the growing purchasing power of its large population make it integral to Amazon’s worldwide expansion over the next decade, particularly around voice interfaces for shopping and web navigation.
Amazon Alexa team is said to be working closely with Bachchan to capture his voice to deliver a unique experience to customers. It will include popular offerings like jokes, weather, poetry, motivational quotes, advice and more.
Amazon users in India will be able to access Bachchan’s voice on Alexa by purchasing the ‘Amitabh Bachchan voice experience’. The details of the package are yet to be revealed by Amazon.
Amazon India’s Alexa experiences leader Puneesh Kumar added: “Mr Bachchan’s voice is truly memorable for any Indian who has grown-up with Bollywood. This combination delivers a perfect pitch to further delight and simplifies the lives of our customers. We are excited to see how our customers will respond when they use Alexa and hear his voice.”