ITV

Tag: Zee Talkies

  • Zee hits a high note with 18.2 percent share and 855m viewers tuned in

    Zee hits a high note with 18.2 percent share and 855m viewers tuned in

    MUMBAI: Zee has struck gold on the small screen and the numbers prove it. The content powerhouse has hit a four-year high in the linear TV landscape, clocking an 18.2 per cent market share and reaching 855 million viewers across 99 per cent of Indian TV households. From metros to remote hamlets, the network has entrenched itself as a fixture in family living rooms.

    The broadcaster’s strategy of weaving culturally rooted storytelling with mass-appeal blockbusters has paid off handsomely. Eight of its channels now reign supreme in their genres from Zee TV’s 15 per cent share in Hindi GECs (its best in three years) to Zee Cinema’s chart-topping premiere of Pushpa 2, the biggest Hindi film debut of FY26. Lifestyle too had its moment, with Zee Zest continuing a three-year winning streak.

    Regional dominance has been equally emphatic. Zee Kannada scored an all-time high 44 per cent share thanks to new launches like Karna, while Zee Tamil surged with Ayali and evergreen favourites like Karthigai Deepam. Zee Telugu notched a staggering 18.1 TVR with Sankranthiki Vasthunam, the biggest Telugu TV premiere in two years. Zee Sarthak maintained its Odia GEC crown for five consecutive years, Zee Talkies led Marathi movies with a 54 per cent category share, and Zee Bangla reclaimed leadership in West Bengal.

    “Eight of our channels leading the pack shows the power of stories crafted with cultural depth but tuned to modern appetites,” said Zee chief content officer Raghavendra Hunsur. Zee EVP of network research and planning Rituparna Dasgupta added: “Reaching 855 million people and 99 per cent TV households isn’t just scale, it’s trust. An 18.2 per cent network share cements Zee as a family member in Indian homes.”

    With 50 domestic channels across 11 languages and two new launches, Zee Power (Kannada) and Zee Bangla Sonar, the broadcaster continues to fine-tune its role as both entertainer and cultural mirror, one that India, clearly, can’t switch off.

  • Adhishree Murdia promoted to VP-SVOD marketing at Zee5

    Adhishree Murdia promoted to VP-SVOD marketing at Zee5

    MUMBAI: She began as a marketing executive at Zee Entertainment Enterprises working on Zee MGM, Zee English and ZCafe shows in 2004 after completing her MBA in marketing from Welingkar Institute of Management in Mumbai.  20 years later Adhishree Murdia sits atop as vice-president SVoD marketing- India & global at Zee’s prized streaming product Zee5.

    It has been some growth for Murdia. But along the way she had to put in the hard yards. She worked in different marketing roles at  Turner International, BCCL, UTV Bindass before heading back to Zee in 2012 as assistant vice-president, after which she was handed the responsibility of handling marketing and the brand Living Foodz and an independent digital channel LFOriginals.

    Her success over there saw her getting to handle the brands as vice-president marketing under the Zee Marathi movie cluster of channels – Zee Talkies, Zee Yuva and Zee Chitramandir  -woking directly with the business head.

    Her nine year continuous stint and knowledge of digital at Zee resulted in her getting moved to Zee5 Global in 2022 as vice-president brand & content marketing, a post she held before being promoted this month to oversee the international domestic marketing of Zee5’s  subscription product.

    She has confessed in the past that she is a life-long learner. “Looking forward to this new opportunity,” she said on linkedin. “Embracing it with gratitude.”

    With that kind of  positive attitude, there is only direction that Zee5’s subscription revenue can head: northwards and upwards.

  • Tata Play unveils Marathi Classics

    Tata Play unveils Marathi Classics

    Mumbai: Tata Play introduced Marathi Classics, a new platform service dedicated to iconic movies and shows from the golden era of Marathi entertainment. Recognising its audience’s content preferences, this service will also feature a rich catalogue of kirtans, to cater to spiritually inclined viewers. Powered by ZEE Talkies, this latest addition aims to curate the finest Marathi titles and classic movie offerings that have a strong connect with the viewers.  

    This ad-free service contains a captivating lineup of Classic Marathi blockbusters which released post 1950’s, along with an impressive lineup of popular serials and kirtan recitals. Cult classics like Zapatlela, GupChup GupChup, Palva Palvi, Maherchi Sadi, Dev Manus are a part of the content lineup. Subscribers will get to enjoy movies featuring legendary actors like Ashok Saraf, Sachin Pilgaonkar, Laxmikant Berde, Dada Kondke, Varsha Usgaonkar, Jayshree Gadkar, Nilu Phule and many more. Daily soaps like Avantika, Vadalvaat, Abhalmaya, etc will also be brought back as part of the offering.

    Tata Play’s chief commercial and content officer, Pallavi Puri, said, “Yesteryear’s Marathi content is known for its beautiful portrayal of rich Maharashtrian culture. There is a dedicated fan base for such content and we, in partnership with ZEE Talkies, wanted to revive these timeless shows and films that are celebrated today as classics. We believe this eclectic curation will resonate deeply with our viewers, rekindling their nostalgia.”

    ZEEL head public & regulatory affairs and CRO-Affiliate sales Anil Malhotra further added, “We’re thrilled to partner with Tata Play to bring back the golden age of Marathi cinema. Marathi Classics is a testament to the enduring appeal of timeless storytelling. With this curated platform, we aim to reconnect audiences with iconic films and shows that have shaped Marathi entertainment.”

    The service is free for the first five days from the date of subscription; INR 1.5 per day will be charged thereafter. On-the-go viewing can be availed through the Tata Play Mobile App.

    Tata Play Marathi Classics joins Tata Play’s range of over 50 entertainment and infotainment Platform Services suitable across age groups and providing content across genres like Entertainment, Kids, Learn, Regional, Devotion and much more. For more information, log onto Tata Play Specials.

  • ZEE FURTHER STRENGTHENS ITS FOOTHOLD IN MAHARASHTRA WITH THE LAUNCH OF ITS MARATHI MUSIC CHANNEL – ZEE VAJWA

    ZEE FURTHER STRENGTHENS ITS FOOTHOLD IN MAHARASHTRA WITH THE LAUNCH OF ITS MARATHI MUSIC CHANNEL – ZEE VAJWA

    Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) has announced its entry into the regional music space with the launch of its Marathi music channel – Zee Vajwa. The network boasts of an undisputed leadership in the Maharashtra market with Zee Marathi, Zee Yuva and Zee Talkies capturing 57%* viewership share.

    The brand believes in seizing every moment and living life to the fullest. Our purpose is to dial up each moment, thus providing a mono to dolby experience for the Marathi youth because ‘Kshaan Zingaat tar life Zingaat!’. This is aptly captured in our tagline – Zee Vajwa, Kshann Gaajwa.

    The channel promise will be brought alive through the content offering of 3000+ playlists and a music++ experience for the viewer with many category firsts that amplify moments & create various mahauls through the day.

    Speaking on the launch, Ashish Sehgal, Chief Growth Officer, ZEEL said, “As an organization, we have gained in both viewership & revenue due to our diverse portfolio across markets. And, believe in constantly strengthening our product portfolio keeping the customer at the centre thereby adding value to all our stakeholders. Our dominant position across markets echoes our customer-centricity. Our growing viewership and revenue share in Maharashtra is a reflection of our successful journey so far. Our objective has always been to provide holistic surround to our consumer/customer & in Maharashtra, with Zee Vajwa, we see an opportunity for us to not only strengthen our Music cluster but further gain viewership/revenue shares as well. We are excited to dial up the impact for advertisers this festive period.”

    Commenting on the much-awaited launch of its first regional music channel, Prathyusha Agarwal, Chief Consumer Officer, ZEEL said, “We win hearts across many Bharats by creating content brands that are deeply rooted in culture. All 4 regional channels that we launched last year broke into the top 3 in their respective categories within their launch month, with Zee Biskope rising to no. 1, and Zee Picchar & Zee Punjabi in the top 2*. We are the undisputed leader in Maharashtra with our GEC and movie channels and the launch of Zee Vajwa will be a celebration of our intrinsic bond with every Maharashtrian family, through music. Music on TV is perceived to play a passive background role in the consumer’s life. But in a country like India, a song becomes a chartbuster when it becomes an integral part of a celebration – such as Ganpati Visarjan, sangeet ceremony, etc. Music becomes an active way to enjoy, express and celebrate, creating an amplified mahaul (ambience). This externalized and shared culture of music is at the core of Zee’s music channel positioning. With Zee Vajwa we promise to dial up every moment for our viewers with a music++ experience, so that they live life to the fullest.”

    Vishnu Shankar, Business Cluster Head, &TV and Music cluster, ZEEL said, “We are extremely pleased to announce the launch of our first regional music channel, Zee Vajwa. Besides strengthening our regional portfolio, it is a great opportunity for us at ZEEL to offer content that connects so deeply with our consumers.

    Music has always been deeply ingrained in our Indian way of life and its traditions. To be able to offer a platform which allows our viewers to enjoy and connect over music that resonates with their specific culture and values, is deeply gratifying.”

    ZEE Vajwa will have an immersive visual experience never seen before in the regional music category with a design world inspired by the ‘volume dial’ that aptly brings alive our promise of ‘amplifying every moment’. Each element of the design – colors, characters, music symbols and our sonic identity have been created to ensure a deep seeded connect with the youth while being culturally relevant.

    The channel will have a stellar programming line-up which will include 3000+ music playlists created with a strong library of songs. One of the key differentiators would be experiential music slots with several category firsts which will truly amplify the moment for the audiences. The Marathi viewer is extremely proud of their culture and the channel will celebrate it by giving the youth a platform to voice their opinions and be heard. A category first, Zee Vajwa will also have a non-fiction show in the comedy genre.

    The logo of Zee Vajwa was unveiled with much fanfare by Marathi film industry stalwarts, Swwapnil Joshi & Siddharth Jadhav during the prestigious Zee Chitra Gaurav Puraskar 2020.

    Zee Vajwa is set to launch this October.

  • ZEEL reports 13.3% YoY growth in total revenue for Q1 FY20

    ZEEL reports 13.3% YoY growth in total revenue for Q1 FY20

    MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) has reported 13.3 per cent YoY growth in total revenue at Rs 20,081 million. The company mentioned domestic broadcast and digital business as the growth driver for strong performance.

    Its advertising revenue also witnessed 3.6 per cent YoY growth. In Q1 FY 20, the advertising revenue was at Rs 11,867 million. Domestic advertising revenue grew by 4.2 per cent YoY to Rs 11,322 million. International advertising revenue for the quarter was Rs 545 million.

    In Q1 FY20 the subscription revenue was Rs 7,088 million, marking a 36.7 per cent growth YoY. Domestic subscription revenue grew by 46.7 per cent YoY to Rs 6,240 million. International subscription revenue was Rs 848 million.

    Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by 16.6 per cent to Rs 6,598 million with an EBITDA margin of32.9 per cent. PAT for the first quarter was Rs 5,306 million.

    ZEEL managing director and CEO Punit Goenka commented, "We delivered another quarter of strong performance despite the operational challenges faced by the industry due to the implementation of TRAI tariff order. We have witnessed a strong uptake of our channels across markets which is reflected in the 47 per cent growth of our domestic subscription revenues. It validates our standing as the #1 entertainment network of the country, built on the foundation of strong position in each of the markets we operate in. We are confident that the new tariff regime is going to be beneficial for all the stakeholders and will greatly improve the consumer experience.”

    Goenka further stated, “Domestic advertising growth of 4.2 per cent Yo Y is considerably lower than the growth in past quarters. This is primarily on account of the decision to convert our two leading FTA channels to pay, which significantly impacted the ad growth for the quarter. Additionally, the implementation of the new tariff order in the previous quarter negatively impacted reach and viewership of most entertainment channels, leading to a temporary shift in some of the ad spends from entertainment to sports. We believe that the underlying demand for advertising still remains strong and we are confident that spends would come back as the tariff order settles down and the festive season kicks in.”

    “Zee TV was the #2 channel in the pay Hindi GEC segment, led by leadership in the core weekday primetime viewership band. The channel's viewership experienced temporary weakness during the movement to the new tariff regime but saw an improvement towards the end of the quarter. Our strong movie library helped further consolidate our # 1 position in the pay Hindi movie genre,” informed Goenka.

    The company’s regional portfolio continued to gain traction across markets during the quarter. It has maintained leadership position in the Marathi, BangIa and Kannada markets. Zee Tamil continued to increase its market share on the back of strong performance of fiction shows. “We are confident that with our consumer-centric approach and insight driven creative output, we will continue to build market share,” said Goenka.

    Goenka also informed, “Zee Telugu and Zee Sarthak were the #2 channels during the quarter. Our youngest regional channel, Zee Keralam, continued to gain share in the Malayalam market led by performance of the fiction shows. Our portfolio of regional movie channels – Zee Talkies, Zee Bangla Cinema and Zee Cinemalu continued to perform strongly.”

  • Mumbai Team franchisee owner unable to meet financial obligations towards Zee Maharashtra Kushti Dangal

    Mumbai Team franchisee owner unable to meet financial obligations towards Zee Maharashtra Kushti Dangal

    Mumbai: Mr. Pranav Rajesh Dake, owner of Zee Maharashtra Kushti Dangal’s Mumbai team – Mumbai Astra has regrettably been unable to meet the financial obligations towards Zee Maharashtra Kushti Dangal (ZMKD), its players and technicians. Mr. Dake had signed a term sheet for the maiden season of the ongoing Zee Maharashtra Kushti Dangal but unfortunately has not be able to honor the agreement. The Mumbai team however continues to be a part of ZMKD and would be participating in the ongoing championship.

    Conceptualised by Zee Talkies, Zee Maharashtra Kushti Dangal is a franchise-based format of wrestling, and the first of its kind event to be televised. The aim was to give this sport an unprecedented platform, akin to the exposure other Indian sports like Kabbadi & Cricket. Zee Talkies would be the first channel to host such an event in the state of Maharashtra between 2nd to 18th November, 2018 at the Balewadi Stadium, Pune with six teams participating in it. Inaugurated at the hands of Shri. Sharad Pawar, Head – Maharashtra Kushti Parishad and Mr. Amit Goenka, CEO – International Broadcast Business the tournament has received much love and support from celebrities like Sai Tamhankar, Nagraj Manjule, Swapnil Joshi, Sonali Kulkarni, Akash Thosar, Tanaji Galgunde, Salim Shaikh, Mansi Naik, Deepali Sayyed, Surekha Punekar, Siddharth Bodke etc.  Besides, Mumbai Astra, other 5 participating teams and their owners are Veer Marathwada (Owner Nagraj Manjule), Kolhapuri Mavale (Sai Tamhankar), Vidharbhache Wagh (Owner Swapnil Joshi), Yashwant Satara (Owner Purushottam Jadhav), Puneri Ustad (Owner Shantaram Manave and Paritosh Painter) in this Wrestling Championship.
     

  • Zee’s Nikhil Sane joins Viacom18 after 11 yrs

    MUMBAI: After 11 years of service with Zee, Nikhil Sane has joined Viacom18 Motion Pictures. Sane has been appointed as the business head to lead its enhanced focus in Marathi cinema. He will report to Viacom18 Motion Pictures COO Ajit Andhare.

    Andhare said, “Viacom18 Motion Pictures is the only studio that operates in all the three Hindi, Hollywood & Regional segments. Our success in Hindi & Hollywood is well established. Our endeavour is to make a similar impact in regional cinema. As a first step we are going after Marathi Cinema which has tremendous potential & clear synergy with our broadcast business. Nikhil with his keen understanding of this market will be an asset to spearhead our move.”

    In 2006, Sane joined Zee Marathi and Zee Talkies as the programming head, and was later elevated as the business head of the channels. In 2013, Zee promoted Sane as the head of Marathi film division as Essel Vision.

    Sane’s producer credits have some of the Marathi industry’s most commercially successful films which includes the biggest box office grosser in Marathi cinema ever – ‘Sairat’. The other prominent films include Natsamrat, Lai Bhaari, Time Pass, Katyar Kaljat Ghusli & Duniyadari and critically-acclaimed award winning films such as Natarang, Fandry, Killa & Elizabeth Ekadashi. During his career spanning 18 years, Sane has contributed immensely to the notable growth of the Marathi entertainment genre by bringing innovative content that has carved a niche for Marathi TV and cinema in the regional space.

    Speaking about the new position, Nikhil Sane said, “Marathi film industry is going through an amazing phase of resurgence and evolution. I have had the privilege of working with some of the best talent in the industry. With Viacom18, I intend to combine the strength of the organisation’s experience in the Hindi & English film industries with the remarkable strength of the Marathi film industry in storytelling and experimentation. I look forward to channelising my best efforts and strengths into taking the next big leap in Marathi cinema.”

  • Ithech Taka Tamboo: dittoTV adds Zee Yuva

    Ithech Taka Tamboo: dittoTV adds Zee Yuva

    MUMBAI: Zee Yuva, ZEEL’s Marathi channel, is now available on dittoTV. The channel offers refreshing, light-hearted, and contemporary content that resonates with younger audiences.

    “Content consumption patterns in India have evolved and younger audiences consume entertainment on-the-go. With dittoTV, youth can enjoy shows anytime and anywhere,” said Zee Yuva and Zee Talkies business head Bavesh Janavlekar.

    Shows on Zee Yuva include, Bun Maska, which portrays the life of fun-loving girl, with a confused philosophy of love; Freshers, a show that revolves around college-goers; ShravanBal Rock star, a show about an aspirational rock star who is trying to balance his own dreams and the aspiration of his parents; Yuvagiri, a show which journeys through colleges across different parts of Maharashtra and interacts with the youth to understand their opinion on various issues; Love Lagan Locha, a story which revolves around boys who are trying to find their perfect match; Ithech Taka Tamboo, a story of a man who escapes from the superficial world and tries running a beachside hotel in a small town in the state..

    dittoTV business head Archana Anand said, “Zee Yuva strikes a connect with our subscribers, especially college and hostel students, due to it’s novel content. We have witnessed a high consumption of regional GECs on dittoTV. Going forward, we will continue to expand the variety of channels across languages and genres to suit audiences across different target groups.”

  • Ithech Taka Tamboo: dittoTV adds Zee Yuva

    Ithech Taka Tamboo: dittoTV adds Zee Yuva

    MUMBAI: Zee Yuva, ZEEL’s Marathi channel, is now available on dittoTV. The channel offers refreshing, light-hearted, and contemporary content that resonates with younger audiences.

    “Content consumption patterns in India have evolved and younger audiences consume entertainment on-the-go. With dittoTV, youth can enjoy shows anytime and anywhere,” said Zee Yuva and Zee Talkies business head Bavesh Janavlekar.

    Shows on Zee Yuva include, Bun Maska, which portrays the life of fun-loving girl, with a confused philosophy of love; Freshers, a show that revolves around college-goers; ShravanBal Rock star, a show about an aspirational rock star who is trying to balance his own dreams and the aspiration of his parents; Yuvagiri, a show which journeys through colleges across different parts of Maharashtra and interacts with the youth to understand their opinion on various issues; Love Lagan Locha, a story which revolves around boys who are trying to find their perfect match; Ithech Taka Tamboo, a story of a man who escapes from the superficial world and tries running a beachside hotel in a small town in the state..

    dittoTV business head Archana Anand said, “Zee Yuva strikes a connect with our subscribers, especially college and hostel students, due to it’s novel content. We have witnessed a high consumption of regional GECs on dittoTV. Going forward, we will continue to expand the variety of channels across languages and genres to suit audiences across different target groups.”

  • Zee puts up tough competition in Marathi space with ‘Yuva’

    Zee puts up tough competition in Marathi space with ‘Yuva’

    MUMBAI: A few weeks back, Viacom18 launched another general entertainment channel Colors Super to expand its reach in Karnataka market. Soon after, one of the leading media conglomerates, Zee Enterprises Entertainment LTD (ZEEL) announced new channel launch in Marathi space with Zee Yuva. Zee Networks’ Zee Yuva will be the new entrant in the Marathi space to encash the network’s upper hand in being a pioneer in the region.

    The new channel will offer some light hearted refreshing content, which the channel claims is different from what the other players in the Marathi space currently offer. ZEEL’s regional language offerings within India are performing extremely well.

    “We are able to leverage content strengths across the network by replicating successful formats. Our understanding of audiences is reflected in our leadership and improving network performance,” reads ZEEL annual reports 2015-16.

    According the report, Zee Marathi maintains dominant leadership in Marathi general entertainment space with 50 per cent market share. The channel was once again the slot leader in all the nine prime time slots led by top rated fiction shows like Jai Malhar, Nanda Saukyabhare, Ratris Khel Chale and non-fiction shows such as Chala Hawa Yeun Dya and Home Minister.

    In Maharashtra, 54.8 per cent is rural population whereas 45 per cent is urban population, as per Maharashtra Economic Survey. Zee Talkies and Zee Yuva business head Bavesh Janavlekar says, “In Maharashtra, 17 per cent of population is Marathi viewing audience, which means there is big chunk of the audience is consuming Marathi content. Hence, we thought there is scope to further explore the space with Zee Yuva.”

    Zee Yuva will be the network’s fourth presentation in the Marathi genre. It already operates GEC Zee Marathi, movie channel Zee Talkies and news channel Zee 24 Taas.

    The channel will be a paid and is scheduled to go on air from 22 August. With no particular restriction to TG, the channel will cater to all the age groups of Maharashtra. “It is not a youth centric channel; it is more about youthfulness, more about the value of forever young at heart. Therefore we didn’t put an age to it.”

    While leading channels in the category like Zee Marathi, Colors Marathi and Star Pravah mostly target female audience in the state, off-late Marathi films aimed at the young people have also quite done well. ZEEL sees an opportunity in this. “We feel that there is huge opportunity to explore and grab the Marathi audiences, who are young at heart. We will target the heartland of Maharashtra,” claimed Janavlekar. He added, “Yuva is not about age. It’s about a mindset. So our content will be light with storylines revolving around friendship.”

    With the launch of Zee Yuva, ZEEL is not only focusing on the Maharashtra but also planning to tap in the global Marathi audience through its digital platform Ditto TV.

    Zee Yuva’s differentiated proposition is strengthened by its content that is distinctive and based on audience insights, which the international audience will relate to. “I feel that this new and innovative step will definitely win the hearts of the audience of Maharashtra. The audiences of Maharashtra have showered immense love on Zee Marathi, Zee Talkies and Zee Studios and I believe that the audiences will welcome the new channel Zee Yuva with the same love and warmth.”

    The channel will start off with five fiction shows of different genres like college and romance. It would have a weekend show as well. There will be music in the morning and movies in the afternoon band. “We will have shows around music in the future. The primetime here will be 7 pm to 9.30 pm. We will have movie premieres every day, informed Janavlekar. The channel will also premiere Hollywood movies dubbed in Marathi.

    Zee Yuva revealed the first look of its first show Love, Lagan and Locha. The channel has roped in production houses like Iris Production and I me Production for the content.

    When it comes to attracting advertisers, he informed that it doesn’t matter if the brand is based in Delhi, Bangalore or Bombay as long as Maharashtra is the priority market for them, as the channel is positive to gain the confidence of audiences residing in the interiors of Maharashtra.

    Fortunately there are many channels selling youthfulness to people. “We are focusing on maximizing the viewership on television and digitally and we know that brands will be on board therefore we are not too much worried about the brands. Primarily focus will be on building the viewership through differentiated content strategy.”

    The channel’s digital campaigns were received well and had a reach of 5 million in a day. It also trended on Twitter and recorded 28.6 million impressions in a day. Apart from this the channel has more than 50,000 likes on Facebook.

    Zee Yuva has also rolled out a music video composed by Jashraj Joshi, Hishikesh Datar, Saurabh Bhalerao, sung by Jashraj Joshi and Soniya Mundhe.

    “We will be rolling out network promotions and non-network promotions followed by print and outdoor campaigns,”Janavlekar added in parting.