Mumbai: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd.'s (ZEEL) OTT platform Zee5 has unveiled a new content slate of 10 big-ticket originals along with much-awaited movies for the global Bengali diaspora starting in 2023. Expanding its SVod offerings, Zee5 confirmed that it will eventually release a web series every month, ranging from whodunit murder mysteries, crime dramas, psychological thrillers, sleuth adventures with the quintessential Bengali comedy and romance. The high-octane slate brings forth a gamut of emotions through the unique stories on offer, featuring collaborations with the best storytellers from the region and some of the most sought-after stars of Bangla cinema to create the next chapter of Bengali entertainment with Zee5.
Consolidating its presence in the Eastern market, Zee5 said that it is one of the first national OTT players to announce an exclusive, specially curated slate in the region for its global audiences across 190+ countries.
Speaking about the expansion, Zee5 India chief business officer Manish Kalra said, "Bengal has been a hotbed of entertainment, with both Bangla stories and talent making their presence felt on the global map. We at ZEE5 have received an overwhelming response to the titles released in the last two years from our Bangla viewers. Now it is time to expand our base in the Eastern market, connecting with the audience with more relatable stories and creating new opportunities for the talent ecosystem here. We have released a slate that shall enable viewers to watch their favourite stars in new avatars backed by intriguing plots and captivating storytelling. In addition to the Bengali slate, we have an extensive line-up of Hindi content and popular titles in other languages. I am hopeful that audiences will enjoy their Zee5 experience as we continue to strive to bring them extraordinary entertainment."
"We are stoked to present the Bangla OTT viewer with a large and exclusive offering of 10 original titles and some of the best hand-picked movies from the market. We are working with the most prolific storytellers and actors who have not only proven their performance chops in keeping viewers hooked on what will happen next (Erpor Ki), but have also earned widespread viewer affection. Besides that, we have stories from different parts of West Bengal that reflect its cultural essence and the variedness of its landscape. We have stories that emerge from our Bangaliana but also reflect the challenges and complexities of this new world we live in. We are confident that our content slate will excite the OTT Bangla viewer and address their need for pace, thrill, and adventure. We look forward to their response to our bouquet of content offerings," added ZEEL chief cluster officer east Samrat Ghosh.
Highlighting Zee5’s content strategy, Zeel president of content in international markets Punit Misra said, "Creating great content through an in-depth understanding of our viewers and the cultural ethos of the many Bharats that constitute India has resulted in Zee5’s consistent growth across languages. Our creative team has a distinctive approach to content design that we call #SoulToScreen where great viewer and cultural understanding meets inspired creativity to deliver delightful content experiences. Through partnerships with some of the finest content creators in the Bangla entertainment industry, we have been successful in curating a content slate that embodies the true cultural essence of today’s Bengal. Our content slate is reflective of the Bengali OTT viewers’ growing appetite for high-octane, edge-of-the-seat entertainment presented in a contemporary avatar that celebrates the new codes of ‘Bangaliana’. We hope that this labour of love by our team will be worthy of love and recommendations from viewers of Bangla OTT content globally."
Presenting an entire spectrum of the thriller genre like never before, the line-up features the murder mystery Raktokarabistarring Raima Sen and Vikram Chatterjee, revolving around a Bengali joint family with an ocean of secrets. Shikarpur, starring actor-director Kaushik Ganguly and Ankush Hazra, marks the latter’s first big fiction OTT debut. It walks viewers through the journey of an underdog detective striving to gain the title of Shikarpurer Sherlock. Kantaye Kantaye is a series based on the detective novel "Shonar Kanta" by Narayan Sanyal, featuring national award-winning actress Ananya Chatterjee, and will showcase Saswata Chatterjee. Directed by Arindam Sil, Shabash Feluda is about Satyajit Ray’s ace detective Feluda solving a complex crime involving murder and cross-border espionage, starring Parambrata Chatterjee and Ritwick Chakraborty in a Feluda franchise for the first time.
Chhotolok is another whodunnit human story. It is director Indranil Roychowdhury's first OTT fiction series and features a cast that includes Indrani Haldar, Priyanka Sarkar, Ushasi Ray and Gaurav Chakrabarty. While Abar Proloy will bring back the Proloy franchise by Raj Chakraborty, Swetkali, a spooky thriller about cold-blooded murders revolving around an age-old goddess idol, will mark Oindrila’s OTT debut. Also on the line-up is director Anjan Dutt’s Seven, a thriller showcasing the vices of human nature, starring the auteur himself. Teni Madhab Shil er Full Panjika, a quirky musical romantic thriller, and Matsyanyay, a story about the scams of a family running a unique medicine business from Parambrata Chattopadhyay's Roadshow Movies, round out the slate of originals.
Chakraborty mentioned, "With OTT paving its way, the audience has a lot of content to select from. I am glad that we are associating with a platform like ZEE5 who believes in narrating impactful, raw, and relatable stories; Abar Proloy is one such story. The web series not only has an impressive narrative but is also relatable and has an intense depiction of heinous crimes and monsters in society. It is realistic, sensitive, and unsettling, with intriguing sequences that will trigger some thoughts and questions. All I can say is, brace yourselves for Abar Proloy, which will soon stream on Zee5."
"I feel there is nothing like a mystery to engage and deeply involve the audience. Essaying the character of Feluda was like stepping into the shoes of Sherlock. It is a privilege to be recognised for Ray's fantastically sketched characters. The web series is an adventurous escapade that will get your adrenaline pumping. The guessing game will keep the audience hooked and enthralled till the end. In the world of entertainment, we are progressing with unique scripts that blend history, thrill, and all the other ingredients required for a perfect thriller! With ZEE5 onboard, I am sure the series will reach every length and breadth of the nation. I am really looking forward to the premiere of the series on the platform," added Chatterjee.
The platform also has a slew of exclusive movies, including Bhoy and Uttaran (both starring Ankush Hazra); Ananta(starring Ritwick Chakraborty); Joy Kali Kolkatawali (starring Nusrat Jahan and Soham Chakraborty); Mini (starring Mimi Chakraborty); Boudi Canteen (starring Subhashree Ganguly and Parambrata Chattopadhyay); and Abar Kanchanjangha (starring Saswata Chatterjee and Arpita Chatterjee); Jotugriha (starring Bonny Sengupta, Parambrata Chatterjee, and Payel Sarkar); and Mahananda (starring Gargi Roy Chowdhury & Ishaa Saha).
Currently the fastest-growing OTT platform in India, as per the latest industry reports, Zee5 claims to have achieved the highest-ever global daily active users (DAUs) of 11.4 million, while the global monthly active users (MAUs) stood at 112.4 million. Viewers can enjoy Zee5’s offerings for Rs 699 per year.
