iWorld
ZEE5 adds Marathi original web series ‘Liftman’
MUMBAI: ZEE5 keeps expanding its regional content library with the launch of Liftman, a Marathi situational comedy web series. The newly launched web series of 10 episodes is running in a short duration of 8-10 minutes.
It features Bhalchandra (Bhau) Kadam of Chala Hawa Yeu Dya fame in the titular role. Along the line of the theme, it has been shot almost entirely in the lift. The series introduces a range of different personalities who encounter Bhau on their ‘journey’ up and down. Bhau Kadam is widely lauded for the comic roles played by him.
“The Marathi-speaking audience has an evolved sense of entertainment as may be evident from our rich heritage of theatre and cinema. With humour on the go, rich concept, relatable characters, and well-known artists from the space – Liftman has it all. Bhau Kadam in many ways is synonymous with comedy today in the Marathi industry, and I am glad that he chose to play the liftman in our short 8-10 minute snackable comedy web series,” ZEE5 India business head Manish Aggarwal said.
“The concept of Liftman is such a phenomenal one and I am thrilled about the new avenues of media such as ZEE5 that naturally render themselves to such innovative formats. This series marks my web debut in a titular role, and I couldn’t have chosen a better concept for the same. With smartphones becoming such a common feature, entertainment options with the audience is gradually changing. Today, literally everything is at one’s fingertips – and in such cases how can one be left behind?” Bhalchandra (Bhau) Kadam commented on the show launch.
MUMBAI: If cricket were a binge-worthy series, this one just dropped its most explosive pilot yet. The opening weekend of the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League has come out swinging, smashing records across both television and digital platforms and reaffirming the tournament’s unmatched pull in India’s sporting and media landscape.
Backed by two high-octane matches featuring 200-plus run chases, the tournament delivered a combined reach of over 515 million viewers across linear TV and digital platforms via JioStar’s broadcast ecosystem, including Star Sports and JioHotstar. More tellingly, engagement surged alongside reach, with total watch-time hitting 32.6 billion minutes, a sharp 26 per cent jump over the opening weekend of the previous season.
The numbers reveal a deeper shift in how India watches cricket. Connected TV (CTV) consumption rose by 30 per cent, while peak concurrency on digital platforms jumped 61 per cent, signalling a growing appetite for shared, big-screen streaming experiences. On traditional television, the momentum held strong, with TV ratings (TVR) climbing 24 per cent compared to earlier seasons’ opening matches.
A key driver of this spike has been the evolution of the viewing experience itself. This season introduced differentiated feeds, most notably a Hindi CTV broadcast featuring cricketing voices such as Ravichandran Ashwin, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag and Irfan Pathan. Blending expert analysis with a watch-along format, the feed has added a conversational, almost second-screen feel without requiring viewers to leave their screens.
According to JioStar CEO for Sports Ishan Chatterjee, at the opening weekend underscores not just scale but also the depth of engagement that live cricket continues to command. He noted that the combination of large-screen viewing and digital interactivity is creating a more immersive and personalised experience, while also delivering tangible outcomes for brand partners.
From the league’s perspective, the early numbers point to a tournament that continues to reinvent itself. Arun Singh Dhumal, Chairman of the IPL, said the strong start reflects how high-quality cricket paired with enhanced viewing formats is resonating with audiences nationwide, while Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Devajit Saikia highlighted the “quality of engagement” as a key takeaway, not just the scale.
Commercially too, the opening weekend signals robust advertiser confidence. The broadcast is led by co-presenting sponsors including Google (Search AI Mode), Campa Energy, and Havells & Lloyd, alongside co-powered partners such as Birla Opus, Hero Motocorp and Amazon. A long tail of associate sponsors from OpenAI and Asian Paints to Flipkart and Amul further reflects the league’s unmatched ability to aggregate advertiser interest at scale.
Taken together, the opening weekend numbers are less a spike and more a statement. With 515 million viewers, 32.6 billion minutes of watch-time, and double-digit growth across formats, IPL 2026 has not just started strong, it has set the tone for a season that looks poised to push the boundaries of both sport and spectacle.
