ZEE5 to stream new Tamil film ‘Ayothi’

ZEE5, the video streaming platform owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd will stream Tamil film Ayothi on 7 April. Produced by Trident Arts and written and directed by debutant R. Manthira Moorthy, the film stars M. Sasikumar, Preethi Asrani, Yashpal Sharma and Pugazh in pivotal roles.

“We have been showcasing narratives with different genres, talent, high-quality production and varied formats in our Tamil line up. With the launch of Ayothi, we are happy to announce the premiere of another quality content for our viewers. We look forward to present more such stories that will connect with our audience while entertaining them,” Manish Kalra, chief business officer, ZEE5 India said in a statement.

Movies in the four south Indian languages, particularly Tamil and Telugu, including their dubbed Hindi versions, are bringing big returns for streaming platforms, contributing 10-25% to overall viewership, following the trend of their popularity on satellite television. In 2021, over-the-top (OTT) streaming platforms saw films in the four south Indian languages, including their dubbed versions, gain big audiences and as much as 10% of overall viewing minutes.

While niche, experimental films have been discovered beyond their home states, mass-market offerings starring actors like Dhanush, Rajinikanth, Allu Arjun on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar and MX Player have also grabbed eyeballs, as families come together to watch stars.

Tamil film Jagame Thandhiram on Netflix, for instance, drew an equal share of audience from outside India as it attracted from within the country. The Dhanush-starrer has been in the top 10 row in 12 countries outside India and has been number one in the top 10 row in seven countries, including India, Malaysia and the UAE. It was subtitled and dubbed in multiple Indian and other languages, including English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.