ZEE5, the world’s largest streaming platform for South Asian content, has announced it will launch in the United States on June 22. The platform is currently under beta testing in the market.
The U.S. is the final and largest launch for ZEE5, setting the stage for its rapid growth in a market with a ready 5.4 million diaspora audience that has a deep cultural and language connection to the content.
This direct-to-consumer service launch is especially significant at a time when Indians in the U.S., many of whom remain deeply connected to their roots, are unable to travel home.
ZEE5 will officially announce its launch in the U.S. on 22nd June at a virtual event where its platform and content will be unveiled. The company will share key details about its plans for the market and its local partnerships, launch the brand campaign and more.
With this launch, the streaming platform will open up access to the largest catalogue of South Asian content — including Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi content. With 130,000 hours of content across 18 languages, ZEE5 will offer a premium, highly accessible and affordable option for viewers to engage with the best of South Asian stories.
ZEE5’s catalogue aggregates classics as well as modern stories across a wide range of categories and genres.
- 3,500+ movies – including 120+ World Digital Premieres like Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai, Simmba, Uri: The Surgical Strike, Dream Girl, Operation Java (Malayalam), Ka Pae Rannasingham (Tamil), Switzerland (Bengali)
- 1,600+ TV shows including Kundali Bhagya, Mithai (Bangla), Sembaruti (Tamil), Sa Re Ga Ma Pa (various languages)
- 200+ Originals including The Final Call, Kaafir, Mentalhood and Churails
- 600+ music, food and lifestyle videos coming soon.
- 100 hours of fresh content added daily
With “language of your comfort” being a key promise across Content, Navigation and even Voice Search, ZEE5’s content library is tailor-made for the diverse cultures and languages of Indian and South Asian communities in the U.S. The languages include Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Oriya, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Punjabi, as well as Malay, Thai, Bahasa, Arabic, Urdu and Bangla (Bangladeshi). Key titles are also subtitled or dubbed in English.
“The United States represents our most significant market and the last bastion in our global journey as we launch an ad-free subscription service. As a global media conglomerate, we have had a very deep connection with our diaspora audiences in the U.S., so it is a rather happy moment for me to now be bringing this audience the largest aggregation of South Asian content on a single platform through ZEE5,” said Amit Goenka, President, Digital Businesses & Platforms, ZEE Entertainment.
“The United States is home to millions of people whose families have strong connections with South Asia, and we are glad to bring them the largest and most diverse catalogue of culturally relevant entertainment across Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi stories. These stories have the power to engage deeply and go well beyond the South Asian audience to entertain and delight even mainstream audiences with their authenticity and allure. I am confident that ZEE5 will become the go-to platform for all Americans who love great storytelling,” said Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global.
- ZEE5’s Annual pack, priced at $84.00 USD will be available across all major devices at a limited launch offer price of $49.99.
- ZEE5 subscribers in the U.S. will also be the first to stream Salman Khan’s Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai
- Key initiatives and outreach plans to support the relief efforts for the fight against COVID-19 will also be shared at the launch event.
- ZEE5’s parent company, media conglomerate Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) has already partnered with Salman Khan Films in India to aid relief efforts including the donation of essential medical equipment. Last year, through nationwide CSR efforts, ZEEL has contributed towards the fight against the novel coronavirus by donating ambulances, PPE kits, oxygen humidifiers and meals, along with building a hospital and care centre.
Users can download the ZEE5 app from Google Play Store / iOS App Store, on Roku devices, Samsung Smart TVs, Apple TVs, Android TVs and Amazon Fire Sticks. ZEE5 is also available on www.ZEE5.com.
