Whipping up fan frenzy, Zee Cine Awards eyeing 10-15% revenue growth over last year

Over the years, Zee Cine Awards has become a notable event in the Indian film industry, recognizing talent and reflecting evolving trends in cinema and audience engagement. The event has been bringing together Bollywood’s biggest names, blending industry recognition with popular choice.

This year, Zee Cine Awards 2025 introduces a new theme – ‘FANtertainment’ – which shifts the focus to the fans who drive the industry forward. The event aims to highlight the deep connection between cinema and its audience, positioning fans as an integral part of the celebration.

In conversation with Adgully, Ashish Sehgal, Chief Growth Officer, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, speaks about what sets Zee Cine Awards 2025 apart, the opportunities for partnering brands, and the revenue expectations from this year’s event. Beyond the awards, he also shares insights on the future of Indian broadcasting, Zee’s evolving content strategies for digital-first audiences, the impact of Connected TV (CTV) on content delivery and brand engagement, and more.

What makes Zee Cine Awards 2025 special? What are your plans to build on this legacy further this year?

This is the 23rd edition of the Zee Cine Awards, and what makes it truly special – especially with our FANtertainment theme – is how we bring fans closer to the cinematic experience. We are creating opportunities for fans to engage with their favorite stars, making them a central part of the celebration. This theme is reflected in our entire communication for this year’s Zee Cine Awards.

In keeping with the FANtertainment theme, how were the fans selected, and what can we expect?

For the first time ever, we invited fans to attend the press conference announcing the awards, marking the beginning of our engagement with them. Before the on-ground event on May 17th, we are rolling out several fan engagement activities across the country.

We are setting up special booths, using digital platforms to connect with audiences, and encouraging them to share videos expressing their love for cinema. The idea is to reignite their passion for theatrical experiences, which have declined in recent years. We believe that by strengthening their bond with the stars, we can encourage them to return to theaters and celebrate cinema in its truest form.

Fans were chosen through various contests, including outreach to fan clubs dedicated to stars like Kartik Aaryan and Jacqueline Fernandez. Unlike most award platforms, which overlook fan communities, we are making them an integral part of the experience.

Zee Cine Awards has become a go-to platform for brands seeking high-impact consumer engagement. What can partnering brands expect this year?

One of our key partnerships this year is with Suzuki, marking its third consecutive year with us. Their continued association reflects the trust they have in the platform.

We have also onboarded Hello Energy as our energy drink partner even before the official event announcement. Our engagement with brands is already in full swing, and we expect to maintain strong partnerships, similar to last year when we had 18 sponsors. Brands see Zee Cine Awards as a marquee event that offers them unparalleled visibility and engagement opportunities.

What kind of revenue growth do you expect from this year’s event?

Zee Cine Awards is a marquee event, and while it attracts significant investments, maintaining profitability is crucial for long-term sustainability. The presence of anchor sponsors helps us scale year after year.

We are aiming for at least a 10-15% growth over the previous edition.

How do platforms like Zee Cinema, Zee TV, ZEE5, and your digital innovations help amplify the reach and engagement of Zee Cine Awards?

The content itself has to be powerful and appeal to consumers. With FANtertainment as this year’s unique proposition, we are ensuring that fans not only participate in the event but also share in the excitement.

Zee TV and Zee Cinema provide a massive reach, while ZEE5 extends our digital footprint. Our network collectively reaches over 500 million viewers, and Zee Cine Awards will be aired across 19 channels, ensuring unmatched visibility. This scale of distribution makes it one of the most-watched award shows in India.

What does the future of Indian broadcasting look like, and how is Zee adapting to the evolving media landscape?

Despite the rise of digital platforms, TV remains a dominant medium, with around 800-900 million people still engaged with linear TV. The idea that television is fading is a misconception.

The key difference between TV and digital is the storytelling format. While digital content relies on short-form, high-engagement videos, television thrives on character-driven narratives. Fictional shows, for example, create deeply connected characters that audiences follow daily – similar to how people engage with their favorite influencers online.

For us, female viewers remain a core audience, and our fiction shows resonate with their emotions and daily experiences. This relatability keeps them coming back to television.

How are you refining content strategies to cater to digital-savvy audiences with shorter attention spans?

Content innovation is key. Earlier, television shows had prolonged story arcs, but now they are fast-paced and packed with high-impact moments to maintain viewer engagement.

We ensure that our events and fiction content include viral-worthy moments, increasing their shareability on digital platforms. Additionally, we are incorporating younger protagonists in fiction shows to attract a Gen Z audience, which was previously underserved in the TV space.

How is the rise of CTV (Connected TV) influencing Zee’s content delivery and brand engagement strategies?

CTV is a game-changer for broadcasters. While linear TV has always been about one-way content delivery, CTV allows real-time audience engagement and interaction.

With CTV, we can analyze viewer preferences, personalize content recommendations, and optimize ad targeting. This first-party data helps us create better experiences for both audiences and advertisers.

Lastly, how is Zee incorporating AI-driven insights and hyperlocal content to enhance personalized audience experiences?

AI is playing a growing role in multiple areas, from content personalization to audience analytics. However, this is an ongoing development, and we’d need a separate discussion to dive deeper into the details.