Zee5 recently launched KidZ, a one stop safe and purposeful entertainment destination for kids of all ages, designed to serve the evolving needs of young audiences and families. The launch aims to build a long-term kids ecosystem rooted in trusted viewing environments, original intellectual property and franchise led storytelling. At a time when children are increasingly shifting from traditional television to digital first viewing experiences, Zee5 sees an opportunity to tell stories that are deeply rooted in Indian culture, mythology and values, while being produced with world-class animation standards.
Animation sits at the heart of this strategy, travelling seamlessly across generations, languages and markets while driving deep character affinity and long-term engagement. It is also one of the few formats that naturally brings families together, creating moments of co-viewing where parents can revisit stories and emotions from their own childhood alongside their children.
As children increasingly move to digital platforms, parental concerns around safety remain important. Through its ‘safe bhi fun bhi’ approach, KidZ combines dedicated child profiles, parental controls, pin protected access and age-appropriate content curation to create a trusted environment that balances entertainment with positive values and learning.
Today, KidZ offers a growing catalogue of more than 140 titles across multiple languages, bringing together globally recognised franchises, international partnerships and homegrown stories.
This approach will soon come to life through Shivlok Ke Kundakka Mandakka (SKM), a new animated series set to premiere on KidZ in July. Blending mythology, humour, action and adventure, the series follows two mischievous asura twins whose journey transforms them from pranksters into unlikely heroes.
Looking ahead, the platform sees significant opportunity in creating a broader ecosystem around kids entertainment through collaborations with creators, writers, animation studios and consumer facing partners. The long-term ambition is to nurture characters and worlds that can extend across formats and experiences while strengthening India’s position as a creator of globally relevant kids IP.
Commenting on the vision, KidZ business head Chandan Khandelwal said, “The kids’ entertainment landscape is evolving rapidly, with audiences seeking stories that are culturally relevant and capable of extending beyond the screen. At KidZ, our focus is on building a trusted destination for purposeful entertainment through compelling storytelling, value-led experiences and original IP. With titles such as Chote Tara Ka Bada Gadar, FAB 5 and Shivlok Ke Kundakka Mandakka, we aim to create homegrown stories that encourage co-viewing and bring families together, creating shared experiences across generations. We believe India is uniquely positioned to make a meaningful contribution to the global kids’ content ecosystem, and we are committed to building stories that can travel far beyond borders.”
As viewing habits continue to evolve, Zee5’s bet on KidZ is rooted in a simple belief: the future of children’s entertainment will be shaped not just by content volume, but by trusted environments, original IP and stories that can inspire audiences far beyond the screen.
(This article has been contributed by Zee5 KidZ business head Chandan Khandelwal, and AnimationXpress does not necessarily subscribe to these views.)
