ZEE5 is boldly embracing its multilingual heritage as the prominent Indian streaming service undergoes a significant brand transformation and strategic shift aimed at capturing the next wave of digital entertainment consumption. This bold move is designed to resonate with a diverse audience seeking varied linguistic content.

The platform has introduced a fresh brand identity, centered around the inspiring promise “Apni Bhasha, Apni Kahaniyan” (Our Language, Our Stories), a statement that marks what Amit Goenka, president of digital services and platforms at Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, describes as a return to the service’s foundational principles. This comes after a period focused predominantly on Hindi-language national content, reflecting a strategic pivot back to its core mission of embracing linguistic diversity.

“Since the inception of ZEE5 in 2018, we have always prioritized language as a core element of our offerings,” Goenka tells Variety. “At that time, the market dynamics were different. Currently, we witness a significant shift as smaller towns and Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are rapidly adopting OTT platforms. This evolution prompted us to realign with our original focus on deep linguistic engagement, as it is now the perfect time to recommit to our roots.”

This strategic redirection coincides with ZEE5’s ambitious plan to significantly enhance content production. The platform is set to launch an impressive portfolio of over 120 content pieces in FY26, which is more than double the approximately 60 titles slated for release in FY25. This extensive expansion signifies a robust commitment to providing a diverse range of entertainment options tailored to various audience preferences.

“Bollywood continues to thrive globally, and I believe this is one of ZEE’s greatest strengths,” Goenka remarks. “We consistently release a number of films each year that are exclusively available on ZEE5, showcasing our unique position in the market and our dedication to delivering high-quality cinematic experiences that resonate with audiences worldwide.”

ZEE5’s language-centric strategy extends beyond the borders of India, as the platform strategically tailors its international offerings to cater to diaspora communities around the globe. Goenka elaborates on the geographic preferences: “In the Middle East, we focus on South Indian languages, with Malayalam being the most prevalent. Analyzing the U.S. Bay Area, the primary audience consists of Telugu and Tamil speakers. In the tri-state area, we find a diverse mix, including Hindi, Marathi, and other languages. Canada, on the other hand, will predominantly feature Punjabi content.”

The platform’s technology now seamlessly adapts to user locations. “For instance, if a new user logs in from Chennai, the interface will automatically display in Tamil,” Goenka explains. “Users will receive a prompt to select their preferred language, after which the content will shift accordingly to cater to their choice, ensuring a personalized and user-friendly experience that emphasizes linguistic diversity.”

The transformation at ZEE5 transcends mere content curation. “Our strategy involves not only a shift in content but also a comprehensive enhancement of the overall platform experience, prioritizing language accessibility moving forward,” Goenka emphasizes. “Users will notice distinct experiences when accessing ZEE5 in different regions, underscoring our commitment to a tailored viewing experience that respects cultural and linguistic nuances.”

ZEE5 is also venturing into previously underserved languages, recently launching Kannada content with “Ayyana Mane,” while originals in Marathi, Malayalam, and Bengali are also in the pipeline. Building on its rich television heritage, the upcoming schedule includes a variety of genres such as “Detective Sherdil” (Hindi), “Sattamum Neethiyum” (Tamil), “Mothubaru Love Story” (Telugu), “Inspection Bungalow” (Malayalam), “Maarigallu” (Kannada), “Aata Thambhahya Naay” (Marathi), and “Vibhishan” (Bengali), showcasing a commitment to diverse storytelling.

The content strategy deliberately ventures beyond familiar genres. “We are exploring new storytelling avenues beyond the traditional family drama that ZEE is renowned for,” Goenka elaborates. “Our focus is now on genres that resonate with international markets, particularly crime and other captivating narratives that will attract a broader audience.”

In contrast to many competing streaming services that are aggressively investing in market share, ZEE5 has successfully achieved positive cash flow in its international markets. This is a significant achievement, especially in an industry marked by high customer acquisition costs that challenge profitability.

“Zee has always been a profit-oriented organization,” Goenka highlights. “Our primary goal is to achieve positive EBITDA, which we have successfully accomplished in international markets. We are already EBITDA positive on the digital front, marking a significant milestone, especially considering the high customer acquisition costs that the industry faces.”

This financial discipline is beginning to yield results. “For instance, last year, we halved our losses, and this year, we anticipate even better performance. We are aiming for impressive figures this year,” Goenka reveals, showcasing optimism in the platform’s financial trajectory.

Success metrics vary based on market conditions. “Globally, we do not operate as a unified product,” he explains. “Some markets rely solely on subscription models, while others incorporate both advertising and subscription strategies, which leads to varying approaches. From an advertising perspective, user engagement becomes crucial, while in subscription models, the focus is on driving higher subscriber numbers.”

ZEE5 is also preparing for the next significant trend in content consumption: vertical storytelling. The platform has forged a strategic partnership with startup Bullet, acquiring equity in the micro-drama specialist to integrate its innovative platform within the ZEE5 ecosystem.

“We have no choice as a content company — we must cater to all our diverse audiences. Thus, it is not a matter of if, but rather when we will fully embrace vertical storytelling,” Goenka asserts regarding the anticipated expansion into this content format.

India is relatively new to the micro-drama trend compared to neighboring China, where revenue from this format reached $6.9 billion, surpassing local box office figures for the first time, according to DataEye statistics. Various projections suggest that the market size for micro-dramas in China could grow to $14 billion by 2028.

“This has been a topic of internal debate for some time, and we have reached a consensus that this segment is crucial for us to pursue,” Goenka comments on entering the micro-drama space. “To engage younger audiences, this represents the next frontier for us.”

The partnership with Bullet signifies ZEE5’s initial foray into ultra-short content. “We have never produced 90-second or two-minute episodes before,” Goenka confesses. “This will be a first for us, and we are hopeful that this collaboration will introduce these capabilities to our platform.”

Goenka candidly shares his personal perspective on this content format: “I am not from that generation, so I don’t fully grasp its appeal. However, as a company, we have never ventured into this realm before, making it an experimental journey for us. We will observe what resonates with our audience.”

A major UI/UX redesign is slated for later this year, marking the first significant update in seven years, featuring enhanced recommendation and personalization features powered by AI technology.

“Technology is a paramount focus for the company moving forward,” Goenka explains. “By the end of the year, you will notice significant advancements in personalized recommendations, which have not been a major focus for us until now. Up until this point, we have concentrated on delivering exceptional content, but we plan to place greater emphasis on the overall user experience.”

This shift reflects changing consumer expectations. “Previously, the emphasis was on delivering high-quality video content. Now, consumers are demanding a superior experience. They want the ability to search for content easily, making content discovery a crucial factor moving forward,” highlighting the need for improved user interfaces and search functionalities.

The platform is accelerating partnership integrations after overcoming previous technical challenges. “Previously, the main issue was effectively integrating with various partners,” Goenka notes. “Due to our focus on technology, we categorize partners into distinct groups: there are telco ISPs, which constitute a large segment, alongside online players, OTT services, and e-commerce partners. Additionally, we have marketing collaborations with banks and other entities.”

The enhanced infrastructure is yielding positive results. “We have developed the capability to integrate more swiftly with these partners, which will enable us to launch many more collaborations at a faster pace. Finalizing commercial agreements is becoming easier, while technical integrations remain challenging. We have effectively addressed many of those previous hurdles,” demonstrating a commitment to operational efficiency.

The global strategy hinges on strategic partnerships. “Marketing, especially outside India, can be exceedingly expensive, and due to market fragmentation, reaching the audience is quite challenging,” Goenka explains. “Thus, forging partnerships is the appropriate strategy and the most effective approach to navigate these complexities.”

“We cannot focus on the entire world — we need to select our targets carefully,” Goenka states regarding ZEE5’s direct-to-consumer expansion strategy. “We are specifically targeting the largest, most concentrated markets where the Indian or South Asian diaspora is present, ensuring our efforts yield maximum impact.”

With profitability achieved on a global scale and content production on the rise, ZEE5’s return to its multilingual roots signifies a strategic wager that authentic, localized storytelling combined with technological advancements will set it apart in an increasingly crowded streaming landscape.