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Tag: Archana Anand

  • ZEE5 Global sees 46 per cent surge in original content watch time in US

    ZEE5 Global sees 46 per cent surge in original content watch time in US

    Mumbai: ZEE5 Global, the world’s largest streaming platform for South Asian content, has registered significant growth in engagement and viewership in the United States, driven by strong original content launches in the market. The platform has reported an impressive 46 per cent increase in watch time for original content over the last year and a 40 per cent jump in viewer growth across original movies and web series. The business also recently reported a 35 per cent YoY increase in viewership over the year in the market.

    This surge in audience engagement underscores the appeal of ZEE5 Global’s exclusive content offerings across multiple languages. After Hindi, the top two languages that grabbed eyeballs within original content were Telugu and Tamil. Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai and Maya Bazaar – For Sale respectively emerged as the most-watch movies and series in the last year, closely followed by widely consumed titles like Tarla, Pitchers, The Kashmir Files: Unreported, Aha Naa Pellanta, Mrs. Undercover, Lost, Vyavastha, United Kachche, Duranga, Rangbaaz: Darr Ki Rajneeti, and Ayali among others.

    Interestingly the platform has also seen a huge response for its Bangla originals in the US in 2023. Recently released thriller drama Abar Proloy not only became the most-watched Bengali Original in 2023 but also witnessed a 25 per cent jump in consumption post its first week of release.

    ZEE5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand said, ” We’re constantly looking to bring our viewers stories that highlight the best of South Asia, stories that not only entertain but also spark meaningful conversations and drive positive change. From Docu-series and biopics to thrillers and titles with strong social and cultural messages, we have been innovating to enhance our Original content library with newer formats and themes across languages. We’re thrilled to see how well this content is resonating across the linguistically diverse diaspora in the U.S.”

    Viewers can catch ZEE5 Global’s upcoming original movie Haddi and more, and stock up on their yearlong entertainment by availing of the limited period Annual pack offer.

  • ZEE5 celebrates five years with LuLu Group in the Middle East with exciting offers and Fan Meet

    ZEE5 celebrates five years with LuLu Group in the Middle East with exciting offers and Fan Meet

    Mumbai:  ZEE5 Global, the world’s largest streaming platform for South Asian content, recently completed five years of their partnership with LuLu Hypermarket, the most admired retail chain in the region to bring entertainment into the shopping experience. To mark the occasion, the platform arranged for a fan meet and greet with Aditi Rao Hydari, who played Anarkali in the blockbuster web series, Taj: Divided by Blood, as part of LuLu’s annual ‘Celebrations of India’ campaign. The brand also revealed its participation in Lulu’s new brand loyalty program and announced special offers for customers on the occasion.

    ZEE5 Global’s latest collaboration with LuLu Hypermarket not only goes to new markets like Qatar but also takes it to the next level with ZEE5’s participation in Lulu’s loyalty program “Happiness”. As part of the program, shoppers at LuLu Hypermarkets across UAE and Qatar will get a free one-month subscription and exclusive offers on yearly subscriptions for every purchase. Further, Loyalty members across GCC will get special discounts on ZEE5 Global 4K monthly and annual packs.

    Aditi Rao Hydari’s association with the platform at an exclusive meet and greet in the middle east added an extra layer of excitement for shoppers, allowing fans to personally interact and engage with their star. This follows her outstanding performance as Anarkali in the blockbuster ZEE5 Original period drama “Taj: Divided By Blood.”

    ZEE5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand said, “We are thrilled to complete 5 years of our very special partnership with LuLu to delight consumers by adding entertainment into the shopping experience. The Middle East is one of our highest priority markets and one where we have shot to leadership as a South Asian OTT platform. We look forward to continuing to bring our audiences unforgettable experiences with their favourite stars and the best of Bollywood blockbusters and South Asian stories.”

    Aditi Rao Hydari said, “It’s been such a wonderful experience connecting and interacting with my fans in Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai! The global response to my show Taj: Divided by Blood has left me completely overwhelmed and I would like to thank ZEE5 Global for making this happen. My heartfelt congratulations to ZEE5 Global and LuLu for their remarkable 5-year partnership and for this wonderful event!”

  • ZEE5 Global provides Bollywood entertainment in Middle East

    ZEE5 Global provides Bollywood entertainment in Middle East

    Mumbai: Bollywood films have always been appreciated and loved throughout the Middle East, particularly in the UAE among both Indians and local audiences. ZEE5 Global, a streaming platform, is now amplifying this connection.

    ZEE5 Global provides South Asian entertainment in the Middle East and around the globe, has one of the greatest collections of content in South Indian languages, over 4000 movies, and the largest collection of movies across all South Indian languages.

    The platform recently premiered the mega-blockbuster “RRR” in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada and also “The Kashmir Files” both of which were huge hits across the Middle East.

    ZEE5 Global recently announced its partnership with the LuLu Group for their India Utsav celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of Indian independence.

    ZEE5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand, said, “We are very happy to partner with LuLu for yet another hugely successful event to bring the entertainment factor into the shopping experience. Sonali’s presence only added to the festive spirit as fans were thrilled to meet the star. The Middle East is a very special market for us and we look forward to continuing to enthral our audiences here with the best of Bollywood blockbusters and South Asian stories”.

    She further added, “As part of the festivities, ZEE5 Global flew in actor Sonali Bendre, who had a special meet and greet with fans who flocked to Dubai and Abu Dhabi on 20 August. Sonali, who recently made her OTT debut on ZEE5 Global with The Broken News, also shopped with fans who were overjoyed to meet her”

    The announcement was made at the LuLu regional headquarters in Dubai during a live press conference.

    The “India Utsav” was launched across the GCC countries on 15 August 2022 at Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi, in the Lulu Group’s first ever simultaneous region-wide launch of this celebration.

    Actor Sonali Bendre said, “It’s been such a fun experience being at the India Utsav in Dubai and interacting with everyone here. It’s great to see how everyone has participated in the activities as part of the celebrations. My association with ZEE5 Global has always been amazing and I’m so glad that my first OTT show, The Broken News on ZEE5 Global, has been much appreciated and loved by audiences across the world. I’m also excited that Duranga is receiving a positive response on ZEE5 Global, which is a creation of Rose Audio production and helmed by my husband Goldie Behl.”

    In addition, the brand has planned a slew of new content launches and partnership announcements for the coming holidays, which will be revealed in the coming weeks.

  • ZEE5 Global partners with the Patel brothers

    ZEE5 Global partners with the Patel brothers

    Mumbai: ZEE5 Global has announced its partnership with the Patel Brothers, a US-based Indian grocery chain, to facilitate connecting with diaspora audiences on the occasion of the 75th year of Independence.

    Commenting on the partnership, ZEE5 chief business officer global Archana Anand, said, “We’ve seen exponential growth in the US in our first year of launch, and we are happy to have been able to delight our audiences here with our rich content library. There’s no better way now to cement our leadership position in this market than with this partnership with the Patel Brothers, another iconic and much-loved South Asian brand, and we look forward to a long, wonderful relationship with them.”

    Actor Sonali Bendre inaugurated the Patel Brothers shop on Oak Tree Road in Edison, New Jersey. Sonali discussed the collaboration and how it will help Indians living in the US.

    Sonali recently made her comeback and a successful debut on ZEE5 Global with The Broken News.

    Bendre added, “I’m very happy to be here to kick off this partnership between two deeply rooted South Asian brands, The Patel Brothers and ZEE5 Global.  As the leading South Asian streaming service, ZEE5 Global has stepped out of the screens and is making an effort to bring together the diaspora audiences across the US through multiple community initiatives. Together with the Patel Brothers, who are America’s oldest, largest, and best-loved Indian chain in the US, we can expect many wonderful initiatives and experiences from this partnership.”

    At the store, ZEE5 Global also held a competition where participants had to respond to inquiries about the platform and Patel Brothers. As part of the “Shop with the Stars” competition, the winner received the chance to shop for groceries worth $200 for free with Sonali. 

    Patel Brothers’ Kaushik Bhai Patel said, “We’re always looking for ways to cater to the needs of NRIs and South Asians in the US hungry for their home culture. We are very happy to partner with ZEE5 Global that shares this ethos.”

  • ZEE5 Global collaborates with the LuLu Group in the middle east to celebrate ‘India Utsav’

    ZEE5 Global collaborates with the LuLu Group in the middle east to celebrate ‘India Utsav’

    Mumbai: ZEE5 Global has partnered with the LuLu Group for their ‘India Utsav’ celebrations. The event was launched at the same time across the GCC countries on 15 August 2022, at Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi, in the Group’s first-ever simultaneous region-wide launch of its celebration of the 75th Indian Independence Day-Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

    The festival was launched at the LuLu Hypermarket Al Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi by the Indian ambassador to the UAE, H.E. Sunjay Sudhir, alongside LuLu Group International chairman and managing director Yusuff Ali, ZEE5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand, and other top government officials.

    ZEE5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand said, “It’s a highly exciting time for ZEE5 Global as we have galloped ahead to become the No.1 streaming platform for South Asian content across multiple global markets, including the Middle East. We now look forward to continuing to build on this success through multiple local initiatives and, on the back of our compelling content, further deepening our connection with South-Asian audiences here. We are thrilled to partner with LuLu for their ‘India Utsav’ celebrations. This marks the continuation of a wonderful and deep relationship with them, and with the region.”

    ‘India Utsav’ is a retail festival at LuLu that highlights the three Cs of the Indian experience: culture, commerce, and cuisine. It showcases the close commercial ties the UAE enjoys with India.

    Indian ambassador to the UAE H.E. Sunjay Sudhir said, “We are delighted to note that LuLu Group is celebrating the ‘India Utsav’ across all their stores on the historic occasion of ‘Azadi Ka Amritmahotsav’ and I thank LuLu Group for always promoting India and Indian products through their hypermarkets. No doubt, initiatives such as this will go a long way towards further promoting the trade ties between India and the UAE.”

    LuLu Group International chairman and managing director Yusuff Ali said, “Needless to say, India is very close to my heart and mind emotionally. On the occasion of the 75th Independence Day, I would say that the country is an emerging economic superpower, and the visionary foreign policy of PM Modi has led to stronger India-GCC ties, and the UAE is emerging as one of India’s staunch business partners. I believe strongly that the LuLu Group can be a key player in this vision of the future for India.”

    LuLu has partnered with ZEE5 Global this year, and ZEE5 will fly in popular actor Sonali Bendre to meet and greet fans in the UAE.

    Customers at LuLu Hypermarkets across the GCC will also receive a free annual subscription to ZEE5’s with every purchase of AED 1,000 or more, as well as a free one-month subscription or a 50 per cent discount on a yearly subscription with every purchase of AED 100 or more.

  • Eight months into launch, Zee5 Global surges forward in the US

    Eight months into launch, Zee5 Global surges forward in the US

    Mumbai: Eight months into launch, Zee5 Global has bolstered its presence in the US market, with a record rise in subscription revenue and engagement among the South Asian populace, the platform announced on Monday.

    The streaming platform revealed the US is now the second-largest market for Zee5 after India and the largest contributor to the platform’s international subscription revenue and viewership. It has recorded a growth of 15 per cent month on month in its viewers and subscriptions on the back of a wide array of original shows catering to the South Asian communities. The US now drives over 40 per cent of its international subscriptions, it said in a statement.

    While Hindi continues to be the driver, the platform has seen double-digit growth in other language content, including Bengali, Telugu, Punjabi, and Tamil across states. Telugu content for instance has seen strong traction, especially in Colorado, North Carolina, Missouri, and Texas. Bengali content on the other hand has done well in Kansas, Louisiana, Connecticut, and New York.

    “I am very glad to see the strong response to Zee5 in the US, especially within such a short span of time,” said Zee Entertainment’s president digital businesses and platforms Amit Goenka. “The US is a high priority market for us and material to our International Strategy, and this early momentum inspires much confidence as we plan for the days ahead.”

    Zee5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand said, “As the only standalone destination for South Asian content in the US, Zee5 Global has grown at an exponential rate in the last eight months and surpassed every milestone. By bringing in the biggest stories and stars from the region as well as ensuring new content every minute and as it releases in India, we will continue to delight our viewers here with the very latest content from back home in the language of their choice.”

    The OTT platform is currently catering to key South Asian language-speaking communities, including those from Pakistan and Bangladesh with over 170,000 hours of content. It launched as many as 51 new Originals across languages in 2021 and plans to double its original content releases this year.

  • Zee5 Global launches second edition of Global Content Festival

    Zee5 Global launches second edition of Global Content Festival

    Mumbai: Leading on the success of its first Global Content Festival in 2020, Zee5 Global is back with its second edition. Transcending linguistic, cultural, and geographical boundaries, the initiative was launched to give budding and independent filmmakers a global platform to showcase their work to an audience across 190+ countries.

    The first edition of the Festival in 2020 witnessed entries from countries like Australia, Bangladesh, Netherlands, India, Dubai, Singapore, the UK, the USA and more. Singapore-based independent filmmaker Shilpa K Shukla emerged as the winner with three entries, “Kathaah@8,” “Tashi,” and “Dots” in the Drama films category.

    Zee5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand said, “After the huge response we got for the first edition of the Zee5 Global Content Festival, we are thrilled to now announce the second edition. The Zee5 Global Content Festival is a special initiative we started in 2020 to give independent filmmakers and content creators from across the globe an opportunity to showcase their work to audiences in 190+ countries. Last year, we saw some stellar entries coming in, and we look forward to this year being even better.”

    The festival provides content creators with an opportunity to attain global fame instantly and experience a diverse environment.

  • Zee5 rolls out in the US, announces Canada as another focus market

    KOLKATA: Zee5, owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) has forayed into the US market on Tuesday eyeing over five million South Asia diaspora audiences. The service has been priced at $6.99 per month, and at $84 per year. The streaming platform also announced a special discount for the student community, with the monthly pack priced at $4.99 instead of $6.99.

    Zee5 has clinched a few key partnerships as well. It has joined hands with the North American Association of Indian Students to strike a chord with the young audience. It will also be partnering with MassMutual in the US to reach the latter’s extensive South Asian customer database.

    The launch was announced by Zee5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand along with actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas as the latter attended the event as a special guest. Along with unveiling the platform’s upcoming content slate, the duo revealed the global brand campaign – ‘Welcome to South Asia: Stories from our world.”

    Zee Entertainment Digital Businesses & Platforms president Amit Goenka said: “We’ve had a long association of over two decades with this market, bringing our viewers here the best of Indian entertainment through our channels. With Zee5, we now look to offer both these audiences and the younger demographic access to a much wider choice of premium content with our Originals, digital premieres, and more, on any screen of their choice and with a completely personalized viewing experience.”

    In the coming months, Zee5 will release a number of movies, new shows, returning seasons of popular shows. RRR from filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli, Sunil Grover starrer Sunflower, Rangbaaz 3, Oka Chinna Family, returning seasons of recently acquired TVF Originals Pitchers, Tripling. Moreover, the platform has lined up Pakistani shows like Churails, Ek Jhooti Love Story, and Dhoop ki Deewar.

    Zee5 Global’s Archana Anand said: “Bringing Zee5 into the U.S. is so much more than just providing the South Asian diaspora here with a mega entertainment platform through which they can access a vast library of stories. It is a powerful bridge between them, their culture, and their languages.”

    This content is available in Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Punjabi, as well as Malay, Thai, Bahasa, Arabic, Urdu, and Bangla (Bangladeshi) with key titles dubbed and/or subtitled in English.

    Terming Canada as another focus market, Zee5 also emphasised that it is available for Canadian audiences and that it will also be launching its campaign in Canada, thereby kicking off its marketing in the country. Zee5 sees much potential in the country, given that it has a tremendous amount of content across languages like Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, and Telugu, perfect for key diaspora audiences within the Canadian landscape.

  • Zee5 set to launch in US on 22 June

    Kolkata: In what could be its biggest launch till date, Indian streaming platform Zee5 is all set to enter the United States market on 22 June.

    With this, the platform has set the stage for its rapid growth in a market that has over 5.4 million diaspora audiences with a deep cultural and language connection to its content. Zee5 is currently under beta testing in the US. This direct-to-consumer service launch is especially significant at a time when Indians settled in the US, many of whom remain deeply connected to their roots, are unable to travel home.

    The official announcement will be made at a virtual event where its platform and content will be unveiled. The company will also share key details about its plans for the market and its local partnerships, launch the brand campaign, and more.

    “The United States represents our most significant market and the last bastion in our global journey as we launch an ad-free subscription service. As a Global Media conglomerate, we have had a very deep connection with our diaspora audiences here, so it is a rather happy moment for me to now be bringing this audience the largest aggregation of South Asian content on a single platform through Zee5,” Zee Entertainment Digital Businesses & Platforms president Amit Goenka said.

    With this launch, the streaming platform will also open up access to the largest catalogue of content from South Asia including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh to diaspora and even mainstream content consumers in the US who have been eagerly waiting to access Zee5’s massive content library. With 1,30,000 hours of content across 18 languages, Zee5 said it plans to offer a premium, highly accessible, and affordable option for viewers to engage with the best of South Asian stories.

    “The United States is home to millions of people whose families have a strong connect with South Asia, and we are glad to bring them the largest and most diverse catalogue of culturally relevant entertainment across Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi stories. These stories have the power to engage deeply and go well beyond the South Asian audience to entertain and delight even mainstream audiences with their authenticity and allure. I am confident that ZEE5 will become the go-to platform for all Americans who love great storytelling,” Zee5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand said.

    With ‘language of your comfort’ being a key promise across Content, Navigation, and even Voice Search, Zee5’s content library promises to be tailor-made for the diverse cultures and languages of Indian and South Asian communities in the US. The languages include Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Punjabi, as well as Malay, Thai, Bahasa, Arabic, Urdu, and Bangla (Bangladeshi). Key titles are also subtitled or dubbed in English.

    Zee5’s Annual pack, priced at $84 will be available across all major devices at a limited launch offer price of $49.99. Zee5 subscribers in the U.S. will also be the first to stream Salman Khan’s Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai.

  • Zee5 Global launches OTT Content festival for indie creators

    Zee5 Global launches OTT Content festival for indie creators

    KOLKATA: Zee5 has launched the Global OTT Content Festival, a first-of-its-kind initiative which will give independent filmmakers, students of cinema, and young content creators a global platform to showcase their talent on and find audiences in 190+ countries.

    Through the Content Festival, Zee5 Global is inviting entries for content created in any language across fiction and non-fiction TV shows, movies, documentaries, stories, short films, music videos and more. The duration for music videos or albums can be between three to five minutes, and audio-visual content comprising episodic content, film, web-series etc must have a minimum duration of 30 minutes.

    Participants are required to send in their entries to contentfest@zee5.com. Entries will be open for a month. An expert panel of judges at Zee5 will shortlist the top 50 entries which will then be premiered exclusively on the platform. Zee5 will also drive promotional efforts around the content globally on behalf of the filmmakers.

    The content festival is expected to attract the largest aggregation of entries across languages from multiple markets. Not only is the festival a singular unique opportunity for content creators to attain global fame instantly, but it will also add to the slate of language content already available on Zee5.

    Zee5 Global chief business officer Archana Anand said, “As a global platform, we’re often approached by people across markets for opportunities to showcase their content on Zee5.  We’re thrilled therefore to be announcing the Zee5 Global Content Festival, to give aspiring and budding content creators a chance for instant global recognition. An initiative like this will not only bring to the fore hidden gems from different countries but also add vastly to our already rich content library, and I eagerly look forward to watching the shortlisted entries.”