iWorld
ZEE5 original films secure multiple spots in Ormax Media
Mumbai: Ormax Media’s ‘Streaming Originals in India – Mid-year Review’ report revealed the top original films and shows from January to June 2023, featuring multiple ZEE5 direct-to-digital films across categories. Bagging a place in the coveted top 10 across ‘Most Watched Hindi Films’, ‘Most Buzzing Hindi Films’, and ‘Most Liked Hindi Films’ are the thrilling courtroom drama ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’ and suspense thriller ‘U-Turn’. Joining these two audience favourites in the ‘Most Liked Hindi Films’ category is the gripping crime drama ‘Lost’, the social comedy ‘Chhatriwali’, and the entertaining spy comedy ‘Mrs. Undercover’.
The report by the leading media consulting firm offers valuable insights into the performance of original shows and films in the first half of 2023 on various OTT platforms. The report evaluated the content based on three crucial parameters: Viewership, Marketing Buzz, and Content Strength, focusing exclusively on original content.
Ormax Media Head business development (Streaming, TV & Brands) Keerat Grewal stated “Our mid-year report lists the best Indian shows in the Hindi streaming space on three parameters: estimated viewership, marketing buzz, and audience likeability. The report is a part of our ongoing efforts to build industry data in the Indian OTT category”.
The courtroom drama ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’ emerged as the biggest highlight, crossing over 500MN minutes of viewing time on the platform. ZEE5’s five Direct-to-Digital films feature in the list of top 10 films, further solidifying its position as a frontrunner in the digital entertainment space. With a strong pulse on consumer preferences, ZEE5 has curated a rich and diverse pool of real and relatable content, for viewers of all demographics and psychographics. This success is a testament to the brand’s pragmatism and consumer-first strategy, backed by an insights-driven approach. It is reflective of the platform’s commitment to partner with the best of the talents across the creative ecosystem, to bring stories that resonate with the viewers.
ZEE5 India chief business officer Manish Kalra said, “This achievement is a result of our team’s relentless efforts to curate and deliver content that strikes a chord with our viewers. Our focus on diverse, real, and relatable plots, backed by thorough research and in-depth audience understanding, led to curating a content slate from which five digital films made it to the top 10 movies in the first half of the year as per the Ormax mid-year report. We are proud to offer a range of stories that span across various genres and are committed to partnering with the best talents to consistently deliver exceptional entertainment to our viewers. Such achievements encourage us to keep doing better and I am thankful to our viewers and partners for their support in this journey”.
Currently the highest-growing OTT platform in India as per latest industry reports, ZEE5 is known for its diversified content across 100+ taste clusters and its focus on real, relevant, and resonant storytelling. Today, ZEE5 is home to over five lakh hours of on-demand content and 160 live TV channels. With a rich library of over 3500 films, 1750 TV shows, and 700 originals, ZEE5 offers content in 12 Indian languages: English, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, and Punjabi. The platform has an exciting line-up for 2023 that will add to its extensive library of content, offering a wider array of catalogues to entertainment seekers.
iWorld
JioStar revenue hits Rs 9,784 crore as cricket fuels 22 per cent growth
A surge in digital viewership and sports dominance fuels a blockbuster quarter for the media giant
MUMBAI: JioStar is batting on a flat pitch. The media titan’s fourth-quarter results for the financial year 2026 reveal a business scaling new heights, propelled by an unprecedented appetite for premium sports and digital-first storytelling.
Gross revenue for the quarter soared by 22.15 per cent to Rs 9,784 crore, up from Rs 8,010 crore in the third quarter. Operationally, the momentum was equally strong; revenue from operations climbed 21 per cent to Rs 8,372 crore. These figures underscore the firm’s successful integration following the Reliance and Disney merger, creating a dominant force in the Indian market.
The annual performance has been nothing short of a spectacle. Full-year gross revenue reached a massive Rs 36,248 crore, while annual profit after tax hit Rs 3,210 crore. This rapid expansion reflects JioStar’s ability to capture and monetise the massive growth in India’s media consumption.
Cricket proved to be the ultimate growth engine. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and TATA IPL 2026 delivered “record-breaking viewership” across both television and digital screens. The World Cup final alone drew a global peak concurrency of 72.5 million on JioHotstar, cementing its status as the nation’s premier streaming destination. On television, JioStar maintained a commanding 34.2 per cent viewership share, reaching a staggering 810 million viewers nationwide.
The digital numbers were just as impressive. JioHotstar averaged 500 million monthly active users, driven by consistent subscriber growth and innovative AI-led content discovery tools. These advancements are ensuring that JioStar remains at the cutting edge of the global “Race for Attention.”
With a firm grip on the country’s most valuable sporting rights and a rapidly growing digital footprint, JioStar is perfectly positioned for the future. It has built the ultimate content powerhouse—one that is ready to dominate the Indian living room for years to come.
