ZEE5 remained quite busy during the first half of 2025. It dropped plenty of titles in the last six months, and some of them truly captivated audiences across diverse genres and languages, though we can’t say the same for all.
But ZEE5 deserves its flowers for the effort, though. From gripping thrillers and heartfelt dramas to thought-provoking social commentaries and delightful comedies, the platform has continued to expand its content library in recent times, which is indeed a good and positive sign.
January 2025
ZEE5 opened its account for the year with The Sabarmati Report. While the movie garnered quite a buzz online, it was mostly for the wrong reasons. Still, it helped the platform in terms of viewership. Some viewers praised Vikrant Massey’s performance and the rest of the cast’s work, while others dismissed the film as propaganda, criticising its execution, perceived inaccuracies, and one-sided narrative.
The streaming service also dropped Tamil drama Thiru.Manickam, starring Samuthirakani. While its critical response was more mixed-to-negative, the audience reacted more positively, with particular praise for the movie’s emotional tone and grounded performances.
R. Madhavan’s Hisaab Barabar was ZEE5’s first original movie of 2025. It made quite a noise, largely due to the leading man’s performance, but its story and overall execution fell flat.
Vitromates received a decent response, with appreciation for its handling of IVF and infertility. Chahatein looked fine too. Identity, featuring big names like Tovino Thomas and Trisha Krishnan, however, failed to create magic.
February 2025
Sanya Malhotra’s Mrs. was greatly appreciated by viewers, with many applauding her incredible performance. The film’s treatment of sensitive themes like women’s equality and orthodox patriarchal traditions also earned praise.
Pyaar Testing—starring Amit Munjal, Plabita Borthakur, and Satyajeet Dubey—didn’t break new ground but was seen as a decent one-time watch. On the other hand, Kicha Sudeep’s Max roared on ZEE5 in February. It was an average grosser in theatres but received a warmer reception on OTT, praised for its fast-paced action, direction, and Sudeep’s performance.
Crime Beat, ZEE5’s first big original series of the year, unfortunately, crumbled. It failed to utilise talents like Saqib Saleem and Rahul Bhat effectively. Many called it an okayish but predictable watch.
March 2025
ZEE5 acquired the digital rights of Venkatesh’s hit comedy Sankranthiki Vasthunam for a whopping INR 30 crores—and it turned out to be money well spent. After rocking the box office, this Telugu comedy was also well-loved on OTT.
The platform further strengthened its regional content library with the Tamil comedy-drama Kudumbasthan, starring K. Manikandan and Saanve Meghana. Many praised it as a harmless, much-needed comedy that delivers laughs while touching on everyday issues and family values. Zindagi Milegi Dobara and Riwaj also received decent responses.
Vanvaas generated positive buzz on social media, largely due to its emotional depth and strong performances, particularly from Nana Patekar. Reviewers highlighted Patekar’s ability to connect emotionally with the audience, delivering an authentic portrayal of a father abandoned by his sons.
ZEE5 closed March 2025 with a brilliant release—Vijay Sethupathi’s Viduthalai Part 2. Hailed as a masterpiece and must-watch political drama, it was commended for Vetrimaaran’s realistic direction and portrayal of societal issues. Viewers lauded the film’s story, dialogues, and performances, especially Sethupathi’s.
April 2025
Dia Mirza and Mohit Raina’s Kaafir emerged as a heartfelt one-time watch. Kingston received mixed reviews, as some appreciated its ambitious mix of folklore, suspense, and adventure, with striking visuals, while others found the screenplay muddled and convoluted.
Babil Khan’s Logout turned out to be a surprising, well-received entry from ZEE5. Viewers praised the young actor’s magnetic performance, highlighting his ability to anchor the narrative and bring emotional depth.
Released alongside Logout was the Malayalam flick Daveed on April 18, which also performed well with audiences.
ZEE5 also launched its first-ever original Kannada series, Ayyana Mane, which received acclaim for its tight screenplay, brilliant performances, gripping storyline, and outstanding score.
May 2025
Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s Costao received highly positive responses, with many calling it his return to strong, compelling roles. ZEE5 carried this momentum into May with the Bengali thriller Bohrupi.
Bohrupi was overwhelmingly praised as an intense intellectual chase thriller, blending emotion, family dynamics, love, adventure, and courage with authentic Bengali sentiments.
But we can’t say the same for Nithiin’s Robinhood, which released just a day after Bohrupi (May 10)—a total dud!
Agnyathavasi was another addition to ZEE5’s Kannada library. A meditative rural crime thriller set in the 1990s, it was praised for Rangayana Raghu’s performance, philosophical undertones, and exploration of guilt and forgiveness.
Interrogation received strong positive reviews, hailed as a “hidden gem” and “masterpiece” of the suspense genre. The cast was lauded for delivering raw emotion and psychological depth.
Andhar Maya also earned solid praise for its thriller elements, gripping concept, isolated backdrop, powerful visuals, and eerie score.
June 2025
ZEE5’s June releases presented a diverse content lineup with mixed reception. Chhal Kapat: The Deception and Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting were largely panned for poor writing, predictable plots, and weak execution.
Devil’s Double Next Level and Detective Sherdil received mixed reviews—while the former was a standard horror-comedy, the latter was passable but suffered from a predictable plot and an underused cast.
On the brighter side, Prince and Family emerged as a decent family entertainer, appreciated for its emotional depth and commentary on social media. Ground Zero, despite a weak theatrical run, found OTT appreciation for Emraan Hashmi’s grounded performance and subtle storytelling.
The Bengali releases stood tall: Parineeta was praised for heartfelt storytelling, strong performances (especially Subhashree’s), and beautiful music. Bibhishon was hailed as a masterpiece and trendsetter, lauded for intelligent writing, powerful narrative, and critique of police brutality.
Finally, Ata Thambaycha Naay! was recognised as a solid entertainer, well-balanced with drama, sentiment, and technical finesse.
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