MUMBAI: The 23 edition of the Zee Cine Awards, in partnership with Maruti Suzuki and centred around the ‘FANtertainment’ theme, isn’t just a red carpet affair—it’s a full-blown fan-fest. From a trophy designed especially for fans to celebrity shoutouts that blur the line between reel and real, the event is shaping up to be a celebration of Hindi cinema’s biggest force: its audience. Scheduled for 17 May at the NSCI Dome in Mumbai, the show promises a turbocharged blend of cinema, stardom and crowd-loving spectacle.

 Zee’s chief growth officer for advertisement revenue Ashish Sehgal, pulled back the curtain on the machinery behind the madness—and the philosophy fuelling this marquee celebration. From crowning fans as the real kings of Hindi cinema to boasting about a reach that spans 200 countries, Sehgal delivered his message with a flair as colourful as a Hindi dance number. It was part corporate spiel, part showbiz sass — and wholly entertaining.

Sehgal explained how the company handpicks talent for its marquee Zee Cine Awards. The formula is simple: star power meets current relevance. He emphasised that the headliners, from Kartik Aaryan to Jacqueline Fernandez, were chosen for their popularity and what they contributed to cinema in the past year. Aaryan, he noted, is “the most popular star right now”, having attained “superstar status” off a recent mega-hit, while actress Vaani Kapoor brings the “oomph and the glamour” every awards night needs. 

And in case anyone thought Fernandez’s inclusion — following a quiet spell in the press — was a PR play, Sehgal shrugged it off. “

We look at talent… we don’t look at their personal lives,” he said, making it clear that only industry impact matters when assembling the show’s roster. Up-and-coming crowd-pullers like Rashmika Mandanna are on the cards too, because giving rising stars the stage is part of the plan. “This stage helps them to popularise,” he added, noting the event keeps even big celebrities humble by reminding them it’s all for the fans.

Sehgal then switched gears to the awards’ marketing and audience engagement blitz. The mantra this year is unapologetically “fan first”. Zee is pulling out all the stops on promotional content – even transforming its usually staid press conference into a viral spectacle that has already netted “2.5 million views across all platforms.”  And that was just the announcement. 

The network plans to set up fan interaction booths across the country, literally putting the public in the spotlight. As Sehgal put it, “we are keeping fans ahead of everybody” in this edition. In fact, one new promotional video features A-list actors looking straight at the camera and humbly telling viewers, “boss, you are our Mahibab and you are the one who decides what we are today.”  In other words, the fans aren’t just along for the ride – they’re driving the plot.

He is equally bullish about sponsor involvement, painting brands as co-stars rather than mere advertisers. Far from just slapping logos on screen, sponsors get woven into the show’s fabric in clever ways. The awards offer “huge tangible benefits beyond advertising,”  Sehgal said, from credibility by association to custom in-show integrations that align with a brand’s ethos. 

Associating with a glamorous event watched by millions gives companies instant top-of-mind recall and a chance to engage consumers through entertainment. Unlike a film where directors balk at blatant product placements, this live extravaganza has no script constraints. That means a carmaker can sponsor a viewer-voted category or a tech brand can commission a themed act – the kind of opportunity, he suggested, that simply can’t be scripted elsewhere in Indian entertainment.

Sehgal even bristled at the notion that advertisers are overpaying for all this glitz. When asked if sponsors are charged a hefty premium for visibility during the high-profile event, he quipped that questioning the price is as absurd as questioning cricket’s biggest tournament. 

“Because the stature of the show itself is such that obviously people will have to pay premium,” he argued, implying Zee Cine Awards is in a league where premium pricing is expected. With production costs running sky-high, he insisted the rates are only natural. “I don’t think… the kind of price they pay is a premium,” Sehgal said bluntly. “I think it is the realistic value” for the massive mileage brands get from the event’s reach. In other words, sponsors aren’t being gouged – they’re getting what they pay for, and then some.

In true corporate fashion, Sehgal measures success not just in rupees and paise. “We don’t do anything if there is no ROI. But ROI is never only about money,” he noted. He revealed that while the budget for this spectacle is enormous (unsurprisingly, it’s one of Zee’s costliest productions), the returns are equally huge – albeit not all immediate or monetary. 

The twenty third edition of Zee Cine Awards is now the network’s biggest intellectual property, a status that “has a huge valuation impact on our total valuation of the company,” according to Sehgal. Put simply, beyond the ad slots and sponsorship fees, the show’s real payoff is in burnishing Zee’s brand equity. It’s the “most recognised marquee marketing event” for Zee – essentially the public face of the network – and that halo effect is priceless.

Sehgal was not shy about what sets Zee’s awards apart from rivals like Filmfare or IIFA either. He reminded us that Zee Cine Awards was the first in the industry “to pioneer the Viewer’s Choice Award,” giving the public a say in the winners long before others caught on. Now that competitors have imitated this democratisation of awards, Zee is upping the ante with its fan-centric twist. 

“We have anyway created that uniqueness”, he said, comparing other ceremonies to simply “playing awards” while “we are about fans and we are also keeping their choices in mind.” Another bragging right is pure reach. 
Thanks to Zee’s sprawling broadcast empire, this show will be simulcast on 19 channels – including Zee TV, Zee Cinema and streaming platform Zee5 – blanketing an unrivalled 200 countries. No other award show, he boasted, can match that footprint. It’s a distribution coup that turns a one-night Hindi cinema party into a global viewing event.

And as for what new surprises or innovations audiences can expect in future editions? On that, Sehgal played coy. “Well, that you will see on screen,” he chuckled, declining to spoil any plans.

In classic showman style, he’s keeping those cards close to his chest. For now, one thing is certain: Zee is pulling out all the stops for this year’s awards show – and the fans, as they say, are truly running the show.