iWorld
ZEE5 launches 8 new Tamil originals
MUMBAI: ZEE5 announced a line-up of eight Originals to strengthen its Tamil content offering – this will be a combination of web series as also movies. This will be complemented by the recently announced special subscription packs for the Tamil audience which includes Before TV content of popular ZEE Tamil shows, world digital premieres and Originals.
ZEE5 Tamil Originals comprises of Original movies and shows across genres. The shows announced are What’s up Velakkari, Auto Shankar, Mitta, Postman and Thiravam.
What’s up Velakkari will introduce you to a high intensity drama in the modern-urban space with three main protagonists – a husband and wife and their house maid. Auto Shankar is a web-series based on the true horrific incidents of six murders in two years committed by Shankar and his gang. Mitta revolves around two stoners who get themselves into different events of trouble. Postman is a story of a man who meets with an accident that puts him in a coma. 20 years later, he wakes up from the vegetative state and he sets out on a mission to deliver the letters that he couldn’t. Thiravam is an intriguing tale of a man who claims to have found a holy grail, the world’s most needed fuel for motors to run and the trivia around it.
The platform will also be launching Original movies – Oru Pakka Kadhai, Kalavu and Sigai exclusively for their audience.
ZEE5 India business head Manish Aggarwal commented, “South India is an important market for us. We are strengthening our presence with a strong content line up complemented by region specific subscription packs. We have a huge consumer base across the metros and our aim is to have a value pack that caters to the regional language preferences of audiences in the tier 2 cities, towns and villages that have shown huge potential.”
ZEE5 India programming head Aparna Acharekar said, “The Tamil audience has shown a phenomenal response to the regional content on the platform, and with a power packed content line-up the response will only keep getting better. We are delighted to associate with so many renowned actors who resonate with the audience to give the story a local flavor. The strong content line up complemented by our recently launched Regional Subscription pack makes it a unique proposition.”
Speaking about the launch, Oru Pakka Kadhai director Balaji Dharanidharan said, “Digital is one of the fastest evolving platforms in entertainment and we are thrilled that ZEE5 is bringing international quality content to the Tamil audience’s portable screen. I was waiting for this moment and am excited that it’s launching finally on a platform which has no leaps and bounds.”
Speaking about the launch, Actor Kathir said, “Sigai is a one of a kind show which brings a great concept in an edgy presentation. The concept of the show is very intriguing, and we are glad to present this show on ZEE5. With its extensive regional reach, we are confident that our story will relay out to a much larger language audience. We are certain that this show will give audience incredible value for their money.”
The ZEE5 Tamil and Telugu Premium packs are each priced competitively at Rs 49 for one month and Rs 499 for a year. Additionally, subscribers can avail a 50 per cent cashback on the above-mentioned price by paying through Paytm.
iWorld
Telcos push for unified rules as spam shifts to OTT platforms
Over 80 per cent fraud moves online, operators seek common framework.
MUMBAI: The spam may have left your phone network but it hasn’t left you alone. India’s telecom operators are once again dialling up the pressure for a unified regulatory framework, warning that fraud is rapidly migrating to internet-based platforms where oversight remains far looser. According to industry communication, a leading operator has written to multiple arms of the government including the Department of Telecommunications, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Ministry of Finance arguing that tighter controls on traditional telecom networks are inadvertently pushing bad actors towards over-the-top (OTT) communication platforms.
The concern is not new, but the framing has sharpened. What was once an industry grievance is now being positioned as a consumer protection issue. Operators say that tackling spam in silos no longer works, as fraudsters seamlessly shift across platforms, exploiting regulatory gaps. The result: a moving target that traditional safeguards struggle to contain.
Executives point to a clear shift in fraud patterns. OTT platforms are increasingly being used for phishing links, impersonation scams and bulk unsolicited messaging, with industry estimates suggesting that over 80 per cent of spam activity has now migrated online. In this environment, the lines between telecom networks, messaging apps and financial fraud are blurring fast.
At the heart of the industry’s demand is a call for a technology-neutral regulatory framework, one that applies consistently across telecom and internet-based communication services. Operators argue that the absence of uniform safeguards, such as sender verification systems, robust spam filters and clearly defined accountability mechanisms, has created enforcement blind spots that fraudsters are quick to exploit.
The proposal is straightforward but far-reaching. Telcos are pushing for baseline anti-fraud measures across all communication platforms, alongside faster response systems and deeper coordination between ministries. Given the interconnected nature of telecom networks, digital platforms and financial systems, they argue that fragmented oversight only weakens the overall defence.
The broader issue is regulatory arbitrage, the ability of bad actors to hop between platforms based on which is least regulated at any given time. Without harmonised rules, operators say, efforts to curb fraud risk becoming a game of whack-a-mole.
As digital communication continues to expand, the debate is shifting from who regulates what to how consistently it is regulated. For now, telecom operators are making their case clear: in a world where spam travels freely, regulation cannot afford to stay fragmented.
