Lights, camera, Southeast Asia: Indian TV network Zee charts regional expansion with original content
- Zee Entertainment plans to offer original content, including reality shows inspired by Indian television, made in partnership with local producers
- Analysts say Zee’s move, if successful, could help open doors for other Indian media firms to ride the buzz of their country’s two Oscar wins
Zee Entertainment had been preparing content initially targeted at the Indian diaspora in the region when the coronavirus pandemic stalled production.
With the reopening of borders, Zee is now ready to hit the ground running with a refreshed programming line-up, according to Sanmesh Thakur, the company’s executive vice-president of Asia-Pacific content.
Zee plans to initially co-produce two reality shows adapted from Indian television programmes Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and Dance India Dance, featuring live song and dance contests based on Bollywood content for those taking part.
“We are in advanced talks with a few partners in the markets of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore to create such a format for our linear TV channels here,” Thakur told This Week in Asia, referring to traditional programmed television that is watched as scheduled, unlike on-demand streaming.
The company decided to venture into local content production after some of its Indian programmes, such as Dance India Dance and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, received positive feedback in Southeast Asia.