iWorld
Zee5 plants a mystery Saali Mohabbat blooms past 100 million minutes
MUMBAI: Love may be blind, but this one came armed with clues, black roses and a QR code. Zee5’s original crime thriller Saali Mohabbat has crossed 100 million watch minutes, powered by a digital-first marketing campaign that blurred the lines between fiction, culture and everyday conversation.
Instead of playing it straight, Zee5 leaned into intrigue. The multi-touchpoint campaign stitched together social media chatter, influencer storytelling, real-world spike moments and brand integrations, all echoing the film’s central tension: love that is beautiful, and dangerous.
One of the most talked-about moves was a tie-up with Ferns N Petals. During premiere week, every FNP delivery nationwide carried a personalised note from Radhika Apte, nudging recipients to watch the film via a QR code. Select premiere hampers sent to celebrities and influencers extended the film’s character-led storytelling into gifting culture, without shouting promotion.
Online, the campaign chose symbolism over salesmanship. Micro-influencers gifted partners a striking black rose, inspired by the film’s ‘poisonous flower’, turning feeds darkly playful. Even the Zee5 logo got a temporary Saali Mohabbat makeover, reinforcing recall across launch touchpoints.
Offline intrigue followed. A staged couple argument in a public space, designed to feel uncomfortably real, later revealed its link to the film, driving curiosity and shares. Collaborations with poet Keshav Jha and targeted outreach within crime and thriller YouTube communities added genre credibility and fuelled word of mouth.
The numbers tell their own story. The campaign clocked 12 million plus reach across platforms, helping the title trend consistently and convert curiosity into viewing minutes.
Starring Divyenndu and Anurag Kashyap, and marking the directorial debut of Tisca Chopra, Saali Mohabbat follows a seemingly ordinary housewife whose life unravels after a shocking double murder. The film is the first collaboration between Zee5 and Stage5 Productions founded by Manish Malhotra, and premiered on December 12, 2025.
In an age of noisy launches, Zee5’s quiet provocation proves one thing, when marketing plays mind games as well as the story does, audiences don’t just watch,they lean in.
iWorld
Prime Video unveils trailer for Tamil series Exam, streaming May 15
Dushara Vijayan, Aditi Balan headline scam thriller set in exam world
CHENNAI: Prime Video has dropped the official trailer of its upcoming Tamil Original series Exam, a high-stakes suspense drama set in the murky world of competitive entrance exams.
Backed by creative producers Pushkar and Gayatri under Wallwatcher Films, the seven-episode series is written and directed by National Award-winner A. Sarkunam. It stars Dushara Vijayan and Aditi Balan in lead roles, with Abbas playing a pivotal character.
Set in the fictional town of Thykara, the series follows Jhansi, played by Dushara Vijayan, as she attempts to expose a deep-rooted scam, aided by her mentor Jayachandran, played by Abbas. Standing in her way is DSP Maramalli, portrayed by Aditi Balan, setting up a tense face-off driven by ambition, pressure and moral choices.
The show will stream from May 15 on Prime Video in India and across more than 240 countries and territories. It will be available in Tamil, with dubbed versions in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada, along with subtitles in 15 languages.
Writer-director A. Sarkunam said the story aims to resonate across geographies and social strata, going beyond the scam to explore ambition, pressure and the consequences of personal choices. He added that the narrative unfolds through the intersecting journeys of Jhansi and Maramalli, building tension as their worlds collide.
Dushara Vijayan described Jhansi as a fierce and determined character, calling the role both demanding and rewarding, with the story capturing the difficult choices her character must make.
Aditi Balan said the series offers a hard-hitting look at the exam ecosystem, adding that her character is layered and shaped by both internal conflict and external pressures.
Abbas, marking his return to mainstream Tamil entertainment, said the series stands out for its layered storytelling and unpredictable twists, with his character adding depth to the central narrative.
With its mix of suspense, social commentary and character-driven storytelling, Exam is shaping up to be a tense watch as it dives into one of India’s most high-pressure systems.
