iWorld
ZEE5 to test cheaper mobile-only plans, eyes 80 million MAUs by March
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd’s video streaming service ZEE5 has made quite a splash since its entry in India’s competitive OTT landscape.
In just 15 months of launch, the Tarun Katial-led streamer has 61.5 million monthly active users (MAUs), clocking 31 minutes of average time spent per day.
In a bid to make even greater inroads into the Indian market, ZEE5 will now test cheaper mobile-only plans, reported news agency PTI.
"We are also planning to test mobile-only pack for consumers who want to watch content on-the-go at cheap prices and with limited ads with an option to choose the ad one wants to watch in exchange of a lower subscription rate," said Katial.
Innovative pricing packs blended with a unique ad proposal could also be in the offing. This, Katial believes, will further boost the revenue generation efforts of the company.
Having registered 70 million app downloads till March 2019, the platform now hopes to achieve the 80 million MAU mark by March 2020.
ZEE5’s success has seen it attract advertisers across the board, with the prowess of its regional content paying rich dividends.
Katial is confident that ad revenue of the platform will witness strong growth in the near future with content, technology and partnerships driving ZEE5’s appeal.
"From a technology standpoint, we have partnered with over 30 companies world over with strong expertise in the OTT space," he said.
Apart from collaborating with telcos, the platform has also struck deals with smart TV manufacturers and connected device makers like Amazon Fire Stick.
ZEE5 has partnerships with Airtel, Vodafone Idea, and Reliance Jio, Katial added, pointing out that these are helping it reach consumers in small towns.
Partnerships of this nature not just give ZEE5 access to consumers in smaller markets but also help in joint marketing campaigns.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
