ZEE5's Nimisha Pandey: "Originals or exclusive content continue to be a key driver"

Nimisha Pandey, chief content officer, Hindi originals, ZEE5.

Launched in India about four years ago, ZEE5 has created Hindi originals like Mithya, Abhay and Sunflower. In an exclusive chat, Nimisha Pandey, chief content officer, Hindi originals, ZEE5, spoke about the rise of streaming in India, what goes into creating a show, original versus licensed content, the business side of things and more. Edited excerpts:

ZEE has been doing content for decades. How are things different on the OTT platform - ZEE5?

You are absolutely right! We have been creating content across platforms and entertaining viewers for three decades, whether it’s on TV, through films, live events or music. In fact, when it comes to digital entertainment, ZEE was the pioneer in this space having launched Ditto TV way back in 2012, followed by OZEE. Although the platforms focused more on catch-up content back then.

Now, with the launch of ZEE5 nearly four years ago and the OTT industry coming of age, we have been narrating original stories on the platform. Ultimately, the purpose is to serve audiences with the best of content, and these are all mediums to take these stories to them.

In some ways, OTT is very different from TV, but in some ways it is also very similar. OTT is about customised, personalised experience, experience that gives consumers far more flexibility and choice – not only in terms of what they watch but also when and where they watch. While the storytelling craft varies across mediums, the passion for telling that story and the human need to be entertained by a good story remains the same.

As theatres reopen, do you think that Hindi OTT can command the same clout?

One of the biggest impacts of the pandemic on the entertainment industry has been the trend of hybrid releases for movies across the country. I believe what this has done is to create a more equal and democratic forum for creators to showcase their work, not just for the Hindi-speaking viewers, but also for audiences across languages and geographies.

With consumers and their preferences evolving, consumption patterns too are seeing a shift, especially over the last two years. One of the biggest beneficiaries of this shift has been the OTT platforms.

The clout of OTT remains in the art of storytelling. It is not going to be about one medium replacing another. It will be about co–existence. Theatrical movies will have to give audiences a compelling reason to leave the comfort of their homes, and OTT content will have to work doubly hard to make sure it is worth staying home for.

With multiple platforms launching, do you think the pace of growth for individual OTT platforms has slowed now?

India perhaps has the highest number of OTT platforms as opposed to any other country in the world, and the pandemic has only provided a fillip to their growth. Competition is always healthy for all players, resulting in better output.

The consumption story for OTT continues to remain strong. As per the BCG-CII Report, from approximately 1.8 hours of consumption per day in 2018, OTT viewing has risen to approximately 2.9-3.2 hours per day at the end of 2021. Originals or exclusive content continue to be a key driver for viewer engagement. The hours of original content on OTT platforms in India saw a massive 60-70 percent jump from 500-600 hours in 2018 to 2,400-2,600 hours at the end of 2021, as per the same report, signifying the immense appetite for content consumption on OTT.

As a vehicle to bring stories and characters alive, OTT has remained a strong contender in the entertainment industry. It is a platform where viewers are spoilt for content choice - from dramas to suspense, comedy to reality, viewers have a whole landscape of stories for them to inhabit. The relative freedom that this entails is a significant move forward, for viewers and creators alike.

At ZEE5, we strongly believe that a platform is only as good as the creators it collaborates with. OTT has enabled creators to break through the conventional norms of storytelling, letting authenticity and the creator’s vision speak more clearly. So while the growth opportunities are massive, the biggest challenge for OTT will be to evolve at the pace the consumer is evolving.

Huma Qureshi in 'Mithya'. (Instagram/ @iamhumaq)

How do you commission stories and content? Who approaches whom? How do you go about it?

We are a small but passionate team at ZEE5 who is always looking for great stories. We approach creators and creators approach us. Sometimes ideas are developed inhouse and sometimes we get a fully developed bible. There is no one way of doing it, we are very approachable across mediums. We just don’t entertain pitches sent over WhatsApp.

What actually happens when a pitch is cleared?

That’s when the real process starts. We back the creator’s vision and collaborate with them, enable them, inspire them and sometimes challenge them so that they can create the best work of their lives with us.

Building on the worlds, carving character journeys, writing compelling episodes become the next stage. It is truly fascinating to see passion meeting the craft to create something extraordinary.

The 'Friends Reunion'  special was an excellent example of licensing, which recorded over 1 million views in less than 7 hours, airing at the same time as the rest of the world.

Once the scripts are ready, we then move to execution. This is where reality strikes and new challenges reveal themselves. Whether it is about finding the right cast or the right locations or fitting it into the right cost – this is where the magic happens.

Once the words have been translated into images and sound, comes the post production process where it starts to take the form in which the story will reach the audience.

The entire journey at ZEE5 takes about 12 months and is a passionate one. My biggest job once I have identified a good idea is to make sure that bad things don’t happen to that good idea.

What kind of content gets ZEE5 excited these days?

Over the past year, we have brought in more impactful stories that cater to multiple consumer cohorts rather than just focusing on the quantity of shows on our platform. Our slate has been diverse and compelling, with titles like Sunflower, State of Siege: Temple Attack, Break Point, Bob Biswas, Pavitra Rishta 2 and Kaun Banegi Shikharwati, amongst many others, and the encouraging response from the audience towards each of these shows further exemplifies this fact.

Our focus remains on backing a good story when we see one from upcoming and established creators, by providing them a platform that tells stories passionately. Going forward, we have a very strong line-up of Hindi originals across the spectrum, with shows like Mithya, Abhay 3, Rangbaaz 3 and many more.

Buying rights versus creating original content - what makes more money for you?

As someone rooted in the creative process, it is immensely important to keep in mind the overall potential a story carries within itself. Whether we create it ourselves or we acquire it, a story’s impact has to be truly measured by how much our audiences relate with it and enjoy it.

For the audience, it does not matter whether it is an adaptation or an original story – if it is a good story, they will love it. If they love it, it will make money for us. It is that simple. Of course, it has to be at the right cost to make business sense but that holds true for any kind of content.

The Friends Reunion special was an excellent example of licensing, which recorded over 1 million views in less than 7 hours, airing at the same time as the United States and the rest of the world. On the other hand, content such as State of Siege, Kaagaz, Sunflower and Abhay have also worked equally well for us.

Naseeruddin Shah and Raghubir Yadav in 'Kaun Banegi Shikharwati'.