Bengaluru, Aug 22: Kannada Zee 5’s new content slate brings together highly anticipated titles, unconventional originals, celebrated talent, and bold creative voices, reaffirming its position as one of India’s most dynamic and preferred OTT destinations for Kannada entertainment. Deeply rooted in Karnataka’s rich storytelling heritage while reflecting the evolving preferences of modern audiences, the slate offers a compelling mix of clutter-breaking originals, marquee titles, reality shows, live sports, and more. This marks another significant step in Zee 5’s ambition to become the ultimate destination for Kannada audiences, delivering a diverse entertainment ecosystem that resonates across genres and generations.
With this exciting slate, Kannada Zee 5 continues to strengthen its creative partnerships with leading production houses including KVN Productions, Daali Pictures, Shruti Naidu Productions, Streetlamp Media Entertainment, Devraj Poojary Productions, Filmy Fellow Studioz, and Shive Studios, alongside its robust in-house productions. Spanning genres such as reality, crime thrillers, drama, romance, supernatural fiction, AI-powered storytelling, sports drama, and contemporary narratives, the new line-up significantly expands the platform's storytelling universe.
Leading the slate is Karavali, a landmark Kannada cinematic venture starring Prajwal Devaraj and Raj B. Shetty and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Gurudatha Ganiga. Blending grand scale with culturally resonant storytelling, the film is backed by high production values and a compelling narrative, positioning it as a major theatrical release with strong pan-India appeal. The upcoming slate also features Bitcoin Scam and Operation Bangara, starring Nishvika Naidu. It also includes the long-format series Corporate Love Story, headlined by Priyanka Upendra, Sanjana Doss, and Pranav Sridhar, and directed by Pannagabharana. Another major addition is Cool Moms, a long-format series produced by Endemol Shine India. The slate further introduces Kudla Cup, a sports drama featuring Pruthvi Ambaar and Arjun Kapikad. Building on audience demand, Kannada Zee 5 is bringing back the popular franchise Ayyana Mane 2, starring Kushee Ravi and Akshay Nayaka, directed by Ramesh Indira. Also joining the line-up are Vakalath, a gripping courtroom drama, and Mallika, a crime thriller starring Roshni Prakash. Beyond originals, ZEE5 Kannada is expanding its non-fiction portfolio with Jungle Power and Halli Power, both hosted by Akul Balaji, further broadening its entertainment offering for Kannada audiences
The Kannada content portfolio extends beyond films and originals, featuring a diverse lineup of AI-powered storytelling titles, including Garuda, Vikram Vetal, Shiv Sati, Chandrakanta, Tirupati Balaji, Barbarik Narmada, and Ram Anjanay Yudh, alongside children's favourites such as Kundaka Mandakka. The platform also focuses on strengthening its sports offering in Kannada, complemented by a growing live sports portfolio with FIFA, Bundesliga, Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana, bringing audiences some of the biggest sporting moments from across the world.
Deepak Sriramulu, Chief Channel Officer, Zee Kannada & Business Head, Kannada Zee 5, said,
“The overwhelming response we received over the past year has given us the confidence and conviction to raise the bar even higher for our viewers. This slate is particularly special because it represents several significant firsts for Kannada entertainment. From Corporate Love Story, the first long-format Kannada original series to Mallika, an original crime thriller inspired by the story of India’s first convicted female serial killer, these projects reflect our commitment to pushing creative boundaries. It is also a matter of immense pride for us to bring highly anticipated films like Karavali to the platform. Movies of this scale and cultural significance are a key part of our vision. Today, we are proud to be the first and only OTT platform offering such a diverse and expansive Kannada content slate that extends well beyond movies. For us, it is not just about bringing content to the platform; it is about bringing home the stories that matter most to Kannadigas.
Titles like Ayyana Mane 2 and Kudla Cup reflect that vision. While each comes from a very different creative space, they are united by their ability to connect with the aspirations and emotions of audiences. Our goal is to bring together the most distinctive and diverse Kannada stories across genres and formats on a single platform, creating a destination that feels truly local, deeply personal, and proudly Kannada.”
