iWorld
Zee5 Global unveils new content line-up for January
KOLKATA: Leading OTT Zee5 Global has unveiled a line-up of fresh content to kickstart the new year with a bang.
Raising the curtains on 2021 on 1 January, the much-anticipated Zee5 Original Nail Polish takes viewers on a hypnotic journey of the uncertainties of the human mind. Nail Polish features an ensemble cast including Arjun Rampal, Manav Kaul, Ranjit Kapoor, and Anand Tiwari.
On 7 January, a satirical comedy Kaagaz will narrate the story of a man who fought for his life for 19 years after being declared dead by a group of people keen to take over his assets. Starring the epitome of versatility, Pankaj Tripathi in the lead role, Zee5 original Kaagaz is directed by Satish Kaushik and is one of the most anticipated releases of 2021.
Zee5 second Bangladeshi original What The Fry is set to premiere on 9 January. Directed by National Award-winning director Anam Biswas, What The Fry is a heart-warming tale of a suicidal film star who meets a simple guy and finds a deeper meaning to life. The show is free to watch for viewers in Bangladesh.
Under its pay-per-view vertical Plex, Zee5 Global is set to release two digital-first blockbuster films. Premiering on 13 January, the comedy-drama Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari will take viewers back to the 90’s, before the social media era, where a wedding detective performs background checks on prospective grooms. The movie features some of the most acclaimed actors of the industry including Manoj Bajpayee, Diljit Dosanj and Fatima Sana Shaikh.
On 14 January, another comedy-drama Biskoth will drop, with two prolific stars of the Tamil film industry – Santhanam and Tara Alisha.
On 22 January, the platform will release a gripping original Jeet Ki Zid. An Amit Sadh starrer, the series is based on a true story of grit, determination and the military. It’s the tale of a soldier whose never give-up attitude helps him overcome tough challenges and turn the impossible into possible.
Yet another action-packed Original, this time from Zee5-Alt Balaji combine, Bang Bang will premiere on 26 January. Shot in the picturesque landscape of Maharashtra, it is a high-octane thriller starring Ruhi Singh, Faisal Sheikh amongst others.
Popular Tamil serial Singa Penne will return to Zee5, continuing the story of a girl who falls in love with a boy in the armed forces and decides to cross every hurdle to join the army herself. The second part of Singa Penne season one premieres on India’s Republic Day – 26 January.
Lastly, on 27 January, Zee5 Global will stream its new TV show, Teri Meri Ek Jindri, encompassing the lives of two young lovers against the backdrop of Punjab. The new Zee TV romantic show is based on the evergreen mantra that opposites attract.
iWorld
Tips Music CEO Hari Nair to step down
Girish Taurani and Sushant Dalmia to jointly steer the company as the hunt for a new chief begins
MUMBAI: A leadership shuffle is under way at Tips Music. Hari Nair, the company’s chief executive, will step down on April 30 as the music label begins the search for a successor.
The company said Girish Taurani, executive director, and Sushant Dalmia, chief financial officer, will jointly oversee operations during the transition while the board identifies a permanent replacement.
Nair joined Tips Music in 2023 and set about reshaping the veteran music label into a more digital, data-led enterprise. During his tenure, the company secured licensing and partnership deals with global platforms including Sony Music Publishing and TikTok, while renewing agreements with Warner Music Group.
Drawing on earlier experience in technology and entertainment, including a stint at ByteDance, Nair pushed the organisation towards a performance-driven culture. He built a brand partnerships division and introduced proprietary software systems aimed at strengthening digital distribution and data capabilities.
Kumar Taurani, chairman and managing director, credited Nair with embedding a data-led culture within the company and driving revenue growth in line with shareholder commitments.
In his resignation note, Nair said that after helping transition the label into a modern, digitally focused and process-driven organisation, the time had come to pursue his next leadership challenge.
The leadership change comes as the broader Tips Films group shows signs of financial stabilisation. In the third quarter of FY26 the company reported a net loss of Rs 2.86 crore, narrowing sharply from Rs 14.2 crore in the previous quarter. For the nine months ended December, losses stood at Rs 12.37 crore.
Yet revenue told a more volatile story. Income from operations slid to Rs 4 crore in Q3 FY26 from Rs 56 crore in the preceding quarter, taking total operating income to Rs 4.56 crore.
For a company built on a catalogue of more than 34,000 tracks and decades of Bollywood hits, the next chief will inherit both a digital engine and a volatile music market. The playlist may be familiar, but the next act at Tips Music is only just beginning.
