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We have taken a relook at our entire strategy at Zee5: Punit Goenka
KOLKATA: The over-the-top (OTT) market is ripe for growth in India, the segment which has emerged as one of the most obvious winners in the pandemic time. Most OTT platforms in India have multiplied their user base over the last year. Zee5 was no exception as it also drew more viewers to its platform, but it may take some time before the paid subscription base is reflected in its overall revenue.
Zee5’s global monthly active users (MAU) and daily active users (DAU) have gone up to 72.6 million, 6.1 million respectively in q4 from 65.9 million, 5.4 million in the q3. Despite the growth, its revenue has declined to Rs 107.5 crore in the quarter from Rs 117.8 crore. However, EBITDA loss has come down to Rs 162.5 core from Rs 175.7 crore in q3.
The fall in revenue is on account of advertising, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZeeL) MD & CEO Punit Goenka said in a conference call post the earnings. But that is cyclical in nature, Goenka noted. Along with that, pending telco deal renewal is another reason for the drop in revenue. Moreover, the platform saw a bump up in revenue in the previous quarter because of the festive season, ZeeL investor relations, corporate strategy head Bijal Shah added.
However, Zee5 may see a better result in Q1 of FY22 as the blockbuster Radhe has premiered on the platform and management seems confident about the movie’s performance. “Radhe has done what we expected it to do for us,” Goenka highlighted saying the film has been quite successful for the platform. However, he did not delve into deeper numbers as it has been only a week since the release of the movie. The company hopes Zee5 revenues to move up in Q1 on the back of the film along with other reasons.
Predominantly, the platform’s MAUs and DAUs are coming from its own organic growth as telco partnerships are only on the subscription side. On the AVoD side, 90 per cent of users are coming from India as there are few international markets of Zee5 with an advertising model. As the platform plans to launch Zee5 in the UK, US, Europe market, those markets will only have a subscription-led model.
“We are seeing people moving to SVOD service (in India). It is slow but it is certainly heartening to see people who come to the funnel of catch up TV and then move to paid services,” Goenka added.
Zee5 last year took several new innovations like adding education content, gamification of shows, and launching short video segments. Goenka was asked on the call why Zee5 didn’t continue its efforts in those segments. “We never got into e-learning, gamification itself. These initiatives were partner driven,” he responded.
“Certainly, a lot of our content may not have succeeded or was not for the right audience base that we have seen but we have taken a relook at our entire strategy at Zee5. We planned to reduce the pricing to Rs 499 per year in line with what is happening in the market. That is one value proposition,” Goenka quipped.
“Other value proposition is going to be a focus on good quality content in the form of films as well as originals across multiple languages that we are going to focus on going forward,” he stated further. Goenka also remarked that Zee5 is going to focus on the tech platform significantly for it to be an app that can delight consumers.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
