English Entertainment
Turkish TV series in India rise to 12, target $1 bn by ’23
MUMBAI: Acclaimed Turkish TV series have begun telecast in the middle-east and south American countries as well as in India. Turkey consul-general to Mumbai Erdal Sabri Ergen told Anadolu Agency that, in October 2015, Turkish TV series entered India with “I Named Her Feriha”. Turkey’s total television series exports amounted to $350 billion at the end of 2016, and targets $1 billion by 2023.
Besides Turkey, India has imported a number of series from Pakistan, Australia, and South Korea, Ergen added. He said that the number of Turkish series sold to India has risen to 12, the Daily Sabah reported.
Indian broadcasters had seen Turkish television series on Pakistani TVs and then telecast them in India. After “Adını Feriha Koydum” was appreciated in India, the country eventually brought in a number of Turkish television series and movies under the auspices of the ministry of culture and tourism.
Touching upon the logic as to why Turkish TV series were loved in India, Ergen said that one of the factors was the similarity between the family lives of Indians and Turks. As the Turkish TV stories address the goings-on in routine life, Ergen observed that Indians could related with the series’ characters. Turks are both, Asian and European, as per the Indian perspective. Also, the landscapes in Turkey shown in the series had the ear of Indians, the consul added.
Calinos Entertainment director Aslı Serim Guliyev said, following “Feriha”, they sold the TV series (translated/ renamed as) “Relationship Status: Complicated), “Emergency Love” and “A Love Story” in India as also the movies “Miracle”,” “Wings of Night)” and “Long Story”. Ranking second in terms of TV series sales in the world after the U.S, Guliyev informed that that Turkey has already exported over 70 TV series to the world.
Jointly with Turkey, movies would be produced too. Pana Film, the production company of “Valley of the Wolves” recently agreed to jointly shoot two movies with Eros International.
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Eros International signs co-production deal with Turkish co Pana Film
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
