Karavali, Gurudatha Ganiga’s Kannada film starring Prajwal Devaraj and Raj B Shetty, leads the latest content slate announced by Kannada ZEE5. Set against the backdrop of coastal Karnataka, the film brings together action, drama and regional culture, with Kambala forming an important part of its setting and story.
The film is part of a wider line-up that sees Kannada ZEE5 move beyond feature films, with long-format originals, crime thrillers, sports dramas, reality shows, AI-powered storytelling and live international sports.
The new slate brings together titles from production houses including KVN Productions, Daali Pictures, Shruti Naidu Productions, Streetlamp Media Entertainment, Devraj Poojary Productions, Filmy Fellow Studioz and Shive Studios, along with in-house productions. The idea is to offer Kannada audiences a wider mix of stories and formats across fiction and non-fiction.
Among the major additions is Corporate Love Story, a long-format Kannada original starring Priyanka Upendra, Sanjana Doss and Pranav Sridhar, directed by Pannaga Bharana. Produced by Endemol Shine India, Cool Moms is another long-format series in the line-up.
The platform is also adding Bitcoin Scam and Operation Bangara, both featuring Nishvika Naidu. Mallika, starring Roshni Prakash, takes the crime thriller route and draws from the story of India’s first convicted female serial killer. Vakalath is positioned as a courtroom drama, while Kudla Cup, starring Pruthvi Ambaar and Arjun Kapikad, brings sports into the fiction slate.
The popular franchise Ayyana Mane returns with its second season, Ayyana Mane 2, starring Kushee Ravi and Akshay Nayaka and directed by Ramesh Indira. Kannada ZEE5 is also expanding its non-fiction offering with Jungle Power and Halli Power, both hosted by Akul Balaji.
The slate also includes AI-powered storytelling titles such as Garuda, Vikram Vetal, Shiv Sati, Chandrakanta, Tirupati Balaji, Barbarik Narmada and Ram Anjanay Yudh, alongside children’s content such as Kundaka Mandakka.
Deepak Sriramulu, Chief Channel Officer, Zee Kannada and Business Head, Kannada ZEE5, says the response to the platform’s content over the past year has encouraged the team to widen its slate.
“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,” he says.
He also points to Karavali as an important part of the platform’s strategy. “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.”
