Mumbai: Voot, a digital streaming platform owned by Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd, has announced 18 new multi-lingual web shows spread across different genres.

From focusing on women empowerment to bringing an issue of colour discrimination in Indian society, the shows will cover different themes.

Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar, who has made his debut in the web series world with BareFoot, which he has penned, feels digital media is one of the finest platforms to reach mass audience.

"It was very exciting for me to write a web show as it was something new for me. The format of digital platform is totally different from films' format.

"Through social media, communication has evolved. The best part about social media is its reach," Akhtar said here on Thursday during the promotion of his show here.

(PHOTOS: Voot announces premium web series)

Apart from BareFoot, the other shows include actress Swara Bhaskar-starrer second season of It's Not That Simple, fashion stylist Anaita Shroff Adajania-hosted show Feet Up With The Stars and a crime thriller Asur .

Also, with the theme of 'regional is new national', the network has created a few of web series in regional languages, which include Tamil romantic comedy show Dagalti and Kannada show titled I See You.

Viacom18 Managing Director Sudhanshu Vats said, "Main focus of our network is to break the regional barriers, we want consumers and viewers to come from all vernacular languages."

Addition to this, Voot has also introduced news section on its platform.