The OTT industry is growing with each passing day in India. The Coronavirus pandemic made sure we confined ourselves to the four walls of our homes. With nothing to do, people found a great escape in web shows on OTT platforms. The amazing stories glued the people to their devices. It became an escape for many! Many people who were confined in their homes alone found solace in stories told on OTT platforms in the form of web shows. The actors and directors too like to experiment with their art and OTT platforms give them this opportunity. On the other hand, the big producers of movies are also finding their scope on such platforms. With cinema halls shut, big-budget movies have been put on hold. Many movies that were ready to release on the big screens were released on OTT platforms instead.
The major ones include ‘Dil Bechara’ on Disney+ Hotstar,’ Radhe’ on ZEE5, ‘Gulabo Sitabo’ on Amazon Prime, ‘Choked’ on Netflix, etc. In other words, OTT platforms have not only streamed web shows made exclusively for online streaming but also big-budget movies originally made for theatre release. The OTT platforms bought exclusive streaming rights to many movies. In the last few years, many OTT platforms have been launched in India as well as worldwide. ZEE5 is one of them. Zee Entertainment Enterprises (Zee) launched Zee5 as a video streaming platform a few years back. Essel group runs ZEE5 (on-demand internet streaming media provider) through its sister- concerned, Zee Entertainment Enterprises. The app was set in motion on 14 February 2018. The app is different from other OTT platforms as it has content in 12 different languages.
The app is supported on different devices such as Web, Android, Ios, Smart TVs, etc. The video streaming platform has around 32 million paid subscribers and around 100 million active subscribers per month. Zee5 recently premiered Salman Khan starrer. Radhe on their platform after they bought the exclusive streaming rights. The much-awaited movie was streamed on a pay-per-view model by ZEE5. The popular streaming platform also bought the exclusive rights of the anxiously- awaited Friends: The Reunion. The subscribers could enjoy the special episode in India. One more OTT streaming platform that has done extremely well in terms of content is TVF. TVF (The Viral Fever) is an over-the-top video streaming platform that began in 2010 by TVF Media Labs. It also has a Youtube channel which is very popular amongst users.
The video streaming platforms are now owned and managed by Contagious Online Media Network Limited. Within few years TVF has become one of the most loved video streaming platforms by youth f India. Now coming to the major piece of good news for ZEE5 and TVF fans. What we hear is that Zee5 has joined hands with TVF (The Viral Fever) in the form of a content partnership. This deal will bring some of the widely popular youth-based shows on the video streaming platform. According to this deal, Zee5 will be allowed to stream TVF originals exclusively. This includes shows like ‘Permanent Roommates’, ‘Pitchers’, etc. TVF has brought many popular shows over the years and many shows have multiple seasons to their credit. With this partnership, ZEE5 will get the rights to launch originals as well new seasons of already popular TVF shows.
The deal was announced on Monday and has got the fans excited. The deal includes the release of originals and the latest seasons of widely popular franchises. Â Now, Zee5 will have the exclusive rights of TVF originals as well as the sequel of ‘Pitchers’, season three of ‘Triplings’ and ‘Humorously Yours’, season two of ‘Engineering girls’, and the fourth season of ‘Aam aadmi family’. Once the deal is rolled out, all these popular web shows will be available on SVOD (Subscription video on demand) basis. On the other hand, already released seasons of popular web shows can be streamed on the basis of AVOD (advertising video-on-demand). This tie-up will undoubtedly increase the reach of the shows on TVF. They have always tried to tell different stories through different characters and this partnership will help them reach a wider audience not only in India but across the globe as well.
The deal has come as a blessing for avid viewers of TVF. Now they can be sure that their favourite shows would make a comeback with new seasons. Zee5 on the other hand would also benefit from the partnership. The platform already has many shows in different languages but they lack original Hindi-centric content. The TVF has a stronghold on Hindi-speaking audiences as their originals are in Hindi. This would bring many new users to Zee5. The demand for new content has been increasing every hour. The content library of zee5 will amp up immensely with this new partnership. With the outbreak of a pandemic, more and more people are turning their heads to online video streaming platforms for enjoyment. As a result, paid and free video streaming platforms are leaving no stone unturned to produce as many originals as they can.
Or if they can’t produce shows themselves, they are looking to buy copyright of content they feel their users would be interested to watch. Zee5 already has 50 theatricals and 40 web shows in five different languages in the pipeline. All this will release throughout the year. TVF can be credited for producing the best youth-based web shows of all times. It won’t be wrong to say that TVF introduced the concept of web shows in India. They should be credited for introducing themes like social topics, Indian politics, modern-day relationships, and lifestyles to the Indian audience. They brought refreshing content for the youth of the country who was fed up with watching saas-bahu dramas and boring movies. We have made a list of some of the most popular shows of TVF (The Viral Fever). Take a look at those shows in the following paragraphs.
‘Pitchers’ is a critically-acclaimed show streamed on the platform. It tells the story of a group of friends who quit their jobs to begin a startup. The theme struck a chord with the youth of the country who dream of starting their own business. The show talks about the problems one faces while starting a business- constant fear of failure, dearth of funds, etc. All the protagonists have done a brilliant job. ‘Permanent Roommates’ can be called the first Indian web show ever made! It follows the lives of a lovely couple who face the problems many couples of modern India go through. Tanya and Mikesh (played by Nidhi Singh and Sumeet Vyas respectively) are in a long-distance relationship. The story begins when the male lead comes back to India and proposes the female lead. The show beautifully portrays the journey of the couple in a conservative urban setup.
The couple decides to live in which gives birth to beautiful moments, happy as well as sad. ‘Yeh Meri Family’ is a show that beautifully showcases the childhood every 90s born experienced. The plot is not only gripping, but it also takes you on a journey of emotions. The show is full of nostalgia and happy memories of childhood. This show takes you on a trip down memory lane with great detailing and lovable characters. ‘Humorously Yours’ follows the chronicles of a comedian, Vipul Gupta. Season 1 premiered on December 11, 2016. The sequel to the series released in 2019. It only showcases the professional life of the protagonist but also his personal life. Vipul’s wife, Kavya, played by Rasika Duggal has a more stable job and income. The show is a beautiful take on the life of a comic. To sum things up, the content partnership between ZEE5 and TVF promises to bring entertainment to the homes of viewers. The Zee5 app already has a sea of shows to offer in multiple languages and TVF will add its popular originals to the library. It is going to be amazing for the fans of web shows!