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Charithra Chandran’s ‘How To Date Billy Walsh’ gets new release date

The film is directed by Alex Sanjiv Pillai (Bridgerton).

Charithra Chandran’s ‘How To Date Billy Walsh’ gets new release date

Prime Video has announced the new release date for its much-awaited Original British high school romantic comedy film How To Date Billy Walsh, starring Bridgerton’s Charithra Chandran and Heartstopper's Sebastian Croft.

Originally meant to stream on the platform back in September 2023, the film will now arrive on 5th April 2024.


Aside from Chandran and Croft, How To Date Billy Walsh also features Tanner Buchanan, Kunal Nayyar, Nick Frost, Guz Khan, Lucy Punch, and newcomer Daisy Jelley.

The synopsis of the film reads: Teenagers Amelia (Chandran) and Archie (Croft) have been best friends since childhood. Archie has always been there to fight Amelia’s battles and laugh at her jokes all whilst keeping his lifelong love for her a secret. Just when he builds up the courage to declare his feelings, Amelia falls head over heels for Billy Walsh (Buchanan), the new American transfer student. Heartbroken Archie goes to great lengths to try and keep Amelia and Billy away from each other but ends up pushing them closer together and risks losing his best friend in the process.

Charithra Chandran who plays Amelia said, “Playing Amelia has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me, and I couldn’t be happier for others to get to see how much fun we had making this funny, heart-warming film for Prime Video.”

Sebastian Croft who plays Archie said, “I’m thrilled that audiences will get to see How To Date Billy Walsh. The process of bringing this uniquely British rom-com to life has been an incredible journey, and I’m eager to see it bring the same level of joy into people’s homes that we experienced whilst making the movie.”

The film is directed by Alex Sanjiv Pillai (Bridgerton) from a script by Alexander J. Farrell and Greer Ellison (Making A Killing).

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How Southeast Asian storytelling became one of Netflix’s fastest-growing global pillars

Highlights:

  • Netflix says global viewing of Southeast Asian titles rose almost 50% between 2023 and 2024.
  • Premium VOD revenue in the region reached £1.44 billion (₹15,300 crore) last year, with 53.6 million subscriptions.
  • Netflix holds more than half of the region’s total viewing and remains its biggest investor in originals.
  • New rivals, including Max, Viu and Vidio, are forcing sharper competition.
  • Local jobs, training and tourism are increasing as productions expand across the region.

Last year, something shifted in what the world watched. Global viewership of Southeast Asian content on Netflix grew by nearly 50%, and this isn't just a corporate milestone; it’s a signal. Stories from Jakarta, Bangkok, and Manila are no longer regional curiosities. They are now part of the global mainstream.

The numbers tell a clear story. Over 100 Southeast Asian titles have now entered Netflix’s Global Top 10 lists. More than 40 of those broke through in 2024 alone. This surge is part of a bigger boom in the region’s own backyard. The total premium video-on-demand market in Southeast Asia saw viewership hit 440 billion minutes in 2024, with revenues up 14% to £1.44 billion (₹15,300 crore). Netflix commands over half of that viewership and 42% of the revenue. They have a clear lead, but the entire market is rising.

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