ZEE5’s Rs 120 Language Packs Are Quietly Disrupting the OTT Game

By letting users subscribe to only one language for just Rs 120, ZEE5 is reshaping how India watches regional content. This is not just smart pricing, it is smart storytelling at scale.

In a market dominated by all-you-can-eat subscription models, ZEE5 has taken a bold turn by asking one simple question. What if viewers only want content in their own language? With its “Apni Bhasha, Apni Kahaniyan” campaign, ZEE5 has launched seven language-specific subscription packs at Rs 120 per month, changing not just the way content is consumed but also how it is valued.

This model, which spans Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada, breaks away from the usual bundled OTT packages. Unlike global players like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video that charge users for an entire content library irrespective of their preferences, ZEE5 is now offering exactly what many Indian viewers have been waiting for. Language-specific access, personalised app interfaces, and cultural relevance all wrapped in one affordable plan.

It is a game-changing move in a country where regional storytelling is not just entertainment, it is identity. From ManoramaMAX in Malayalam to Planet Marathi and Chaupal TV, many regional players have focused deeply on specific languages. But none have so far combined them into a multi-language model with tailored subscription options like ZEE5. This new strategy allows viewers to enjoy only the content they care about, without having to scroll past unrelated shows or pay for what they never watch.

The move is also a technological shift. ZEE5 has redesigned its user interface to reflect the chosen language, making the experience deeply immersive. The app not only recommends shows in the preferred language but also transforms menus, thumbnails, and suggestions to match regional taste and tone. It is not just about serving content in a language. It is about speaking to the audience in a way that feels natural, personal, and specific to their world.

ZEE5’s library already features content in 12 languages, with a mix of original films, short series, plays, lifestyle content, live TV, and children’s shows. With the platform reporting Rs 976 crore in revenue in FY25, marking a 6 percent increase from the previous year, this shift toward regional packaging is clearly being supported by both demand and data.

Lloyd Xavier, the Regional Business Head for ZEE5 Tamil and Malayalam, recently shared insights into the platform’s new direction. According to him, regional markets are not just growing, they are evolving rapidly with hyper-local preferences, content innovations, and storytelling formats that are deeply rooted in local culture. ZEE5 is simply aligning itself to where the audience already is.

What makes this move even more powerful is its potential to open up OTT content to new users in semi-urban and rural areas. The Rs 120 plan brings premium content into homes that might have previously felt priced out of major platforms. This is not just good business. It is content democracy.

By putting language first, ZEE5 is setting a precedent that other platforms may soon follow. In a digital India where stories are becoming more local and audiences more fragmented, personalised access might just be the most scalable growth strategy yet. The OTT space is entering a phase where one-size-fits-all no longer fits. With this new model, ZEE5 is letting viewers write their own subscription story, in their own language.

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