ZEE5 viewership data suggests a significant viewership from Tier II and III cities; drama and romance reign supreme

ZEE 5

ZEE5 is witnessing a significant growth in viewership from Tier II and III cities, which now account for 40% of its total audience. While major metros like Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi continue to lead in consumption, the platform’s expanding reach in smaller cities is reshaping its content landscape.

Drama and romance genres are the undisputed kings of ZEE5’s content library, clocking an impressive 105 million watch-time hours. These genres dominate viewership in both urban and rural areas, with drama emerging as the most-watched genre in six out of nine Indian metros.

Interestingly, Tier II cities show a distinct preference for a mix of romance and drama, surpassing action and thriller genres, which collectively garnered 32 million watch-time hours. This indicates a shift in content consumption patterns, where audiences in smaller cities are increasingly drawn to stories that blend emotional depth with romantic themes, rather than the adrenaline-pumping excitement of action and thrillers.

The platform’s regional content, particularly in South Indian languages, is also seeing exponential growth, especially in the drama genre. Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada viewers have shown a marked increase in watch-time hours for drama, underlining the genre’s universal appeal. South Indian audiences, known for their strong cultural ties and storytelling traditions, are particularly responsive to drama.

Particularly, Tamil movies are making waves on ZEE5, emerging as the most-watched regional films after Hindi, followed by Telugu. This trend highlights the growing demand for regional content on the platform, as audiences seek out stories that reflect their own cultural narratives.

The top five movies watched on this platform are Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, Mrs Undercover, Sam Bahadur, Gadar 2 and The Kerala Story. The top five originals include Taj, Sunflower, Vyavastha, The Broken News and Duranga, Whereas top 5 TV shows on the platform are Kundali Bhagya, Jagadhatri, Bhagya Lakshmi, Prema Entha Maduram and Trinayani.

As ZEE5 continues to expand its footprint across India, catering to the diverse tastes of its viewers, the platform is well-positioned to capitalise on the rising demand for regional and emotionally resonant content. With drama and romance leading the way, ZEE5 is not just a metro-centric platform but a truly pan-Indian entertainment hub.