Archana Anand: Last News

EXCLUSIVE: ZEE5 Global’s slate of original series and films are beginning to pay dividends for the South Asian content streamer in the U.S.

Naman Ramachandran Sequels such as “Sunflower 2,” “Duranga 2,” “The Broken News 2,” “Gadar 2,” “Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout,” “Abar Proloy,” “Khichdi 2,” “Taj 2,” and “Kashmir Files Unreported” have dominated South Asian-focused streamer ZEE5 Global. And with good reason. Among other insights, the platform says that shows and films with sequels have proven to be a strategic asset, contributing to 23% of total subscriptions for the financial year 2023-24.

Naman Ramachandran ZEE5 Global, a streaming platform which focuses on South Asian content, has grown 35% year-on-year in viewership among its target audience in the U.S., according to data released by the service. The South Asian diaspora in the U.S. took the most to drama, with the genre accounting for 60% of the viewership on the platform during the first half of 2023.

Naman Ramachandran Salman Khan starrer “Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan” is set to have its streaming world premiere on ZEE5 Global. The film, a remake of 2014 Tamil-language Ajith Kumar hit “Veeram,” was released theatrically worldwide in April during the Eid holiday frame. Directed by Farhad Samji and produced by Salman Khan Films, “Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan” revolves around Bhaijaan (Khan) who has committed to live a bachelor’s life so that he can take care of his three younger brothers (Raghav Juyal, Jassie Gill, Siddharth Nigam). Meanwhile his brothers, who’ve already found their life partners, come together to find a perfect match for Bhaijaan. The story takes an unexpected turn when a beautiful woman (Pooja Hegde) walks into his life.

Naman Ramachandran South Asian focused streamer ZEE5 has unveiled a 111-strong 2023 slate on the occasion of its fifth anniversary. The lineup is across the Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bangla, Punjabi and Marathi languages. The content is from top producers including Dharma Productions, Salman Khan Films, Oscar winner Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment, Bhanushali Studios, The Viral Fever, Applause Entertainment, Rose Audio Visuals, Vikas Bahl, Vivek Agnihotri, Nagraj Manjule and Sudhir Mishra. A-list performers in the shows and films include Manoj Bajpayee, Pankaj Tripathi, Huma Qureshi, Arya, Parambrata Chatterjee, Vijay Sethupathi, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte.

EXCLUSIVE: South Asian-focused streamer ZEE5 Global will roll out Sooraj R. Barjatya’s first feature in seven years on January 6, 2023.

The year is nearly up and ZEE5 Global Chief Business Officer Archana Anand is headed into 2023 in bullish mood. The South Asian streamer, which operates in 190+ territories including the U.S. and offers about 200,000 hours of content, is coming off “our best year yet, and we’re ending it on a high,” she says.

EXCLUSIVE: South Indian content streamer ZEE5 Global has unveiled a slate of 11 Telugu originals. The titles featured at as star-studded event an event in Hyderabad and comprise comedies, dramas, romantic stories and thrillers.

Naman Ramachandran South Asian focused streamer ZEE5 Global and BBC Studios India have partnered to create a slate of Hindi-language originals across genres, commencing with series “The Broken News,” an adaptation of Mike Bartlett’s BBC show “Press,” directed by Vinay Waikul (Netflix’s “Aranyak”). The plot turns on two rival news channels based in Mumbai – Awaaz Bharati, an independent, ethical news channel, and Josh 24/7 News, which offers sensationalist and invasive journalism, and what transpires between the main characters in their quest for news.

Naman Ramachandran South Asian focused streamer ZEE5 global has revealed a raft of Tamil-language titles.Noted filmmaker Vetrimaaran is readying his first original series “Nilamellam Ratham,” featuring Ameer; Prakash Raj stars in drama series “Anantham”; and Kalidas Jayaram is the lead of coming-of-age drama “Paper Rocket,” by Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi.The slate also includes director Vijay’s teen dance drama “Five-Six-Seven-Eight,” revenge saga “Kolaigara Kairegaigal,” directed by S.R. Prabhakaran; and mystical thriller “Aindham Vedham.” Original films include “Yaanai” featuring Arun Vijay and Priya Bhavani Shankar and “Thamezharasan,” starring Vijay Antony, Suresh Gopi, Sonu Sood and Remya Nambeesan.   Popular star Ajith Kumar’s “Valimai” premiered on the platform in March, fetching the fastest 500-million streaming minutes on ZEE5 Global.

Naman Ramachandran Psychological thriller “Forensic,” starring Radhika Apte (“Andhadhun”) and Vikrant Massey (“Love Hostel”) will premiere on South Asian focused streamer ZEE5 Global.Directed by Vishal Furia, who previously helmed the Disney Plus Hotstar Indian adaptation of “Criminal Justice,” “Forensic” is the Hindi-language remake of the 2020 Malayalam-language film of the same name, starring Tovino Thomas and Mamta Mohandas.Apte plays a female police officer in the small hill town of Mussorie, while Massey plays a forensic expert. Together, they are on the trail of a serial killer.