iWorld
ZEE5 doubles Bengali content viewership, expands in East India
Mumbai: ZEE5, India and Bharat’s largest home-grown video streaming platform and multilingual storyteller for multiple entertainment seekers, clocks a two-times surge in viewership on its Bengali slate since December 2022. In line with the brand’s commitment towards regional expansion, ZEE5 has significantly invested in Bengali content bringing blockbuster hits like ‘Abar Proloy’, ‘Shabash Feluda’, ‘Swetkali’, and ‘Shikarpur’, to name a few. Since December 2022, the platform has clocked an impressive 22 per cent increase in the monthly active viewers in the eastern region. The latest original directed by Raj Chakraborty featuring Saswata Chatterjee, and Ritwick Chakraborty, ‘Abar Proloy’, saw an 86 per cent surge in viewership and three times more watch time than any other Bengali original title. The watch time for the same stood at 146 MN minutes.
Starting January 2023, ZEE5 released a high-octane slate of 10 blockbuster titles featuring the best names of the Bangla creative ecosystem. The platform’s growth in Bengali content viewership can be attributed to its strategic partnerships with top-tier industry talents who have been instrumental in bringing captivating stories from the hinterlands of the East and the Eastern periphery directly to the audiences. This includes gripping original series, blockbuster movies, heartwarming family dramas, and pulse-pounding thrillers like ‘Raktokarabi’, ‘Shikarpur’, ‘Shabash Feluda’, ‘Abar Proloy’, ‘Swetkali’, ‘Seven’ amongst others. Since its inception, ZEE5 has consistently provided an enriching and diverse entertainment experience to its Bengali-speaking audience with its consumer-first approach.
Speaking on the brand’s expansion in the region, ZEE5 India chief business officer Manish Kalra said, “We are happy to witness such an encouraging response from our viewers in the Eastern market. The Bengal entertainment industry exhibits immense potential and has garnered acclaim for its exceptional storytelling for years We are thankful to our partners and the talent from the region for their dedication and remarkable creativity, which has truly captivated the Bengali diaspora across the globe. We have released successful titles like Abar Proloy in multiple languages owing to their popularity and the demand from consumers., Rest assured, we remain steadfast in our commitment to invest in Bengal, staying committed to bringing real, relatable and authentic stories to our viewers.”
ZEE5’s journey in the Eastern market has been marked by innovation, collaboration, and a keen understanding of local audiences’ sensibilities. The platform has brought post-theatrical premieres of blockbusters like ‘Boudi Canteen’, ‘Biye Bibhrat’, ‘Shohorer Ushnotomo Din E’, ‘Hatyapuri’, etc. Apart from originals, the platform also has a slew of exclusive titles including the likes of ‘Projapati’, ‘Aparajito’, ‘Bhoy’, ‘Uttaran’, ‘Joy Kali Kolkatawali’. In addition to Bengali blockbusters, the platform offers a host of premium content in Hindi and other languages namely ‘Bandaa’, ‘Tarla’, ‘The Kashmir Files, ‘Haddi’, ‘Mrs Undercover’, ‘Bob Biswas’, ‘Duranga’, ‘Rangbaaz’ and many more.
Gaming
Formula 1 and Mumbai Falcons launch India’s first official F1 sim racing championship
Nationwide competition creates pathway from virtual racing to pro motorsport
MUMBAI: Formula 1 has teamed up with Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited to launch India’s first officially sanctioned F1 sim racing competition, marking a new step in the country’s growing motorsport ecosystem.
The championship, titled F1 Sim Racing India Open 2026, will offer a structured national platform for sim racers, with participants competing on the official F1 25 across multiple stages. The competition will begin with online qualifiers, followed by city-based simulator rounds, before culminating in a national final in Mumbai this November.
Open to players across PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox, registrations for the event will begin on 30 April via the Mumbai Falcons app. The format mirrors real-world racing, featuring official circuits, team liveries and competitive structures aligned with the global series.
Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan said the initiative arrives at a time when interest in the sport is surging in India, adding that a structured sim racing platform could help identify and nurture the next generation of talent.
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited managing director Ameet Gadhoke noted that the championship aligns with the team’s long-term goal of building a strong motorsport pipeline in the country and placing Indian talent on the global stage.
The launch also reflects broader momentum in esports, especially after its recognition under India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025. By bridging gaming and real-world racing, the initiative aims to offer aspiring drivers a credible entry point into professional motorsport.
With interest in Formula 1 steadily rising and conversations around its return to India gaining pace, the new championship could become a proving ground for future racing stars.
