EXCLUSIVE: Stage, a regional streamer known for an appearance on Shark Tank India, has joined ZEE5 Global‘s U.S. add-ons suite.
Indian aggregator service ZEE5 has been building out its ZEE5 Add-Ons offer in the past 18 months, and will now offer Stage’s dialect-based programming, beginning with content in the Haryanvi and Rajasthani languages. Bhojpuri, Awadhi and Maithili will be added at a later date.
Stage is known for being featured on Season 2 of business reality series Shark Tank India, where founders Parveen Singhal, Vinay Singhal and Shashank Vaishnav successfully raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for what was then a start-up. The streamer was born out of WittyFeed, India’s answer to BuzzFeed, which closed down in 2018. It’s now headed to the U.S. for the first time.
Among its investors is former world championship-winning javelin thrower and Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, who’s said the deal was “a significant step towards celebrating the depth of our cultural narratives on a global scale.”
“This collaboration is a testament to the power of regional content to transcend borders and connect with diverse audiences. By showcasing the rich cultural tapestry of India, we hope to foster greater understanding and appreciation for our heritage,” says Singhal, CEO and co-founder of Stage.
“ZEE5 Global is transforming the South Asian entertainment landscape globally by embracing innovation and cultural diversity,” added Manish Kalra, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5. “This collaboration with Stage reflects our focus on going deeper into Indian sub-cultures and giving them a broader platform to connect with diaspora audiences through stories that reflect their unique identities. By bringing this heartland content to viewers in the U.S., we are not only celebrating the richness and diversity of Haryanvi and Rajasthani dialects, but also meeting the increasing demand for more inclusive and relatable narratives.”
Customers will be able to access Stage through ZEE5 for $2.99 a month, joining the likes of Chaupal, Oho Gujarati, NammaFlix, Simply South and iStream streaming in the U.S. ZEE5 is currently in more than 190 countries and has content totalling nearly 200,000 hours in nearly 20 languages, and has stated an ambition to be the top aggregator of South Asian content in the States.