Movie Channels
Zee hits a high note with 18.2 percent share and 855m viewers tuned in
MUMBAI: Zee has struck gold on the small screen and the numbers prove it. The content powerhouse has hit a four-year high in the linear TV landscape, clocking an 18.2 per cent market share and reaching 855 million viewers across 99 per cent of Indian TV households. From metros to remote hamlets, the network has entrenched itself as a fixture in family living rooms.
The broadcaster’s strategy of weaving culturally rooted storytelling with mass-appeal blockbusters has paid off handsomely. Eight of its channels now reign supreme in their genres from Zee TV’s 15 per cent share in Hindi GECs (its best in three years) to Zee Cinema’s chart-topping premiere of Pushpa 2, the biggest Hindi film debut of FY26. Lifestyle too had its moment, with Zee Zest continuing a three-year winning streak.
Regional dominance has been equally emphatic. Zee Kannada scored an all-time high 44 per cent share thanks to new launches like Karna, while Zee Tamil surged with Ayali and evergreen favourites like Karthigai Deepam. Zee Telugu notched a staggering 18.1 TVR with Sankranthiki Vasthunam, the biggest Telugu TV premiere in two years. Zee Sarthak maintained its Odia GEC crown for five consecutive years, Zee Talkies led Marathi movies with a 54 per cent category share, and Zee Bangla reclaimed leadership in West Bengal.
“Eight of our channels leading the pack shows the power of stories crafted with cultural depth but tuned to modern appetites,” said Zee chief content officer Raghavendra Hunsur. Zee EVP of network research and planning Rituparna Dasgupta added: “Reaching 855 million people and 99 per cent TV households isn’t just scale, it’s trust. An 18.2 per cent network share cements Zee as a family member in Indian homes.”
With 50 domestic channels across 11 languages and two new launches, Zee Power (Kannada) and Zee Bangla Sonar, the broadcaster continues to fine-tune its role as both entertainer and cultural mirror, one that India, clearly, can’t switch off.
Movie Channels
Zee5 launches five free FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus India
New genre-led channels bring comedy, drama, horror, classics and South films to Smart TVs.
MUMBAI: Zee5 just turned Samsung Smart TVs into a free entertainment buffet because when premium content costs nothing, even the remote control starts smiling. Zee5 has launched five curated free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels on Samsung TV Plus India, making high-quality, genre-specific entertainment available subscription-free to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners across the country.
The five channels now live are:
Zee Comedy Nation – Popular comedy shows and movies
Zee Dil Se – Compelling drama series
ZEE Horror Nights – Horror and supernatural content
ZEE Cine Classic – Timeless Indian films
ZEE South Flix – High-energy South Indian films dubbed in Hindi
All content is drawn from Zee5’s extensive library and programmed in a lean-back, always-on format ideal for large-screen viewing. This launch strengthens Zee5’s Connected TV strategy at a time when 64 per cent of its premium content watch time already comes from connected devices.
Zee5 chief business officer Siju Prabhakaran said, “At Zee5, we believe accessibility and scale will define the next phase of digital entertainment growth in India. Our presence on Samsung TV Plus strengthens our Connected TV strategy, enabling viewers to discover curated, genre-led content in a seamless, free, and premium environment.”
Samsung TV Plus India head of partnerships Kunal Mehta added, “Local partnerships are at the heart of how we grow Samsung TV Plus in India. Zee Entertainment is one of India’s most iconic media brands, and bringing their channels to our service means millions more Samsung Smart TV owners can enjoy premium local content, subscription-free.”
The channels are available directly through the pre-installed Samsung TV Plus app with no login or subscription required. This marks another milestone in Zee5’s CTV expansion and builds on its growing international presence, with Zee channels already available on Samsung TV Plus across Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
In a streaming world where paywalls often block the fun, Zee5 and Samsung have quietly opened the gates, proving that sometimes the best things in life (and on your TV) really are free especially when they come with a side of comedy, drama, horror, classics and South Indian blockbuster energy.
