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A poster of the Indian film ‘Sankranthiki Vasthunam’ which earned nearly $35 million worldwide when … More
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The Indian streaming platform ZEE5, 70 percent of its content consumption was in non-Hindi languages, President of Digital Businesses and Platforms at Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, Amit Goenka, says in an exclusive interview. Given the significant rise in non-Hindi content consumption, not just in India but worldwide, ZEE5 introduced an interesting subscription plan – based on language interests. The plans are currently running in India, but Goenka asserts they are soon bringing it to the US markets as well. Currently, the plans vary from $10 to $25 depending on the number of languages included in the plan.
The changing language dynamics on ZEE5
Mr. Amit Goenka, President – Digital Businesses & Platforms, ZEE (1) – Copy
ZEE5
In an era when the public has crossed the language barrier — thanks to subtitles on digital platforms – why would someone go for a specific language-based subscription alone? Goenka believes that while subtitling makes cross-language viewing easier, comfort viewing is eventually about watching content in your own language, every day.
“Our move to become a language-first platform comes from a very simple insight: language isn’t just about communication, it’s about identity, culture, and belonging. This shift cuts across everything – our content strategy, how the platform looks and feels, and even how we price our plans. It’s aimed at India’s next wave of digital users, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, where this connection to language is even stronger. This approach was also guided by clear consumption patterns on our platform. Today, nearly half of our viewership in India comes from non-Hindi content.”
“At this point, the language-specific subscription plans are live exclusively in India, where the diversity and depth of linguistic preferences are most pronounced. That said, language content consumption is growing rapidly in international markets as well. These markets remain strategically important, and while current offers are India-focused, we may evaluate the opportunity to launch similar language-led propositions in international markets as well,” he says about introducing the plan in the US markets.
Hindi versus non-Hindi content on ZEE5
Elaborating on the year-over-year performance of Hindi content versus non-Hindi (other Indian languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, etc.), Goenka says, “While year-over-year figures vary, one consistent trend we’ve seen is the rapid rise of non-Hindi content consumption on the platform.”
He adds that almost 50 percent of the total viewership that ZEE5 registers comes from content in non-Hindi languages. “We see an even more pronounced pattern internationally among diaspora audiences, with non-Hindi consumption growing from 63% in 2023 to nearly 70% in the first half of 2025.”
Revealing that Sankranthiki Vasthunam and Ayyana Mane rank on top among standout performers on the platform this year so far, Goenka says, “Both logged record-breaking openings for Telugu language on our platform. Other strong performers include Identity (Malayalam), Kudumbasthan (Tamil), Max (Kannada), and Hanu-Man (Telugu). These trends reinforce our belief that hyperlocal and culturally relevant stories drive deeper audience engagement and platform loyalty.”
Goenka adds that the development is also reshaping the commission, development and production of content—almost like operating seven different studios for the seven key languages “tailored to the cultural and emotional contexts of their specific audiences.” He insists that the language-led commissioning approach allows them to greenlight projects with a “sharper audience alignment and creative conviction”.
The use of AI at ZEE5
Confirming that the technology in ZEE5 app ensures language is customized as per location, Goenka tells us that the app interface defaults to Tamil if someone logs in from Chennai, with an option to choose the language as well.
“The transformation also goes well beyond content curation. We’re now building the platform so that the overall experience in each region is different. The way ZEE5 looks and feels in Maharashtra won’t be the same as it does in West Bengal or Tamil Nadu. It’s a shift that touches UI, discovery and navigation. We also plan to launch a major user interface/user experience revamp later this year which will bring in much stronger AI-led recommendation and personalization,” Goenka concludes.
(This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.)
