Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) has established itself as a strong contender in the Tamil GEC space with Zee Tamil and is now all set make its entry into the Tamil Film Entertainment space with the announcement of a new movie channel – Zee Thirai. The channel is the sixth channel in the Southern region by the network and the second movie channel in the south after Zee Cinemalu. The channel was officially launched yesterday on Sunday, 19th January. Zee Thirai is set to resonate with the pulse of Tamilians and their love for cinema that has deep cultural and social context in the lives of Tamilians around the world. The brand tagline – “Rathathil Kalandhadhu Cinema” which implies that “Cinema runs through our veins” represents the passion and impact that movies have on the Tamil viewers and its power to fuel the heroic spirit in them.

The channel will be present across leading DTH operators that includes Tata Sky (Channel No. 1559), Airtel DTH (Channel No. 775), Dish TV (Channel No. 547) and D2H (Channel No. 547) Cable subscribers can subscribe to the Zee Prime Movie Pack Tamil at Rs. 12 consisting of Zee Tamil, Zee Thirai along with other ZEEL channels. Speaking on the launch of Zee Thirai, Mr. Siju Prabhakaran, South Cluster Head, ZEEL said, "Today, our channels - Zee Kannada, Zee Telugu, Zee Cinemalu, Zee Tamil and most recently Zee Keralam contribute to over 28.5% of our network share, thus showcasing our strong connect with the South Markets. Understanding the love and passion that Tamilians have towards Cinema, the launch of Zee Thirai is our effort towards presenting viewers with the content that they enjoy. Furthermore, this is also our step towards strengthening our network’s offering in the Tamil market and emerging as a player with a holistic vision towards being the top destination for fans of entertainment”.

Over the last decade, ZEEL’s Tamil GEC – Zee Tamil has earned a coveted position in the hearts and minds of Tamil audiences around the world. Its distinct programming that includes a blend of fiction shows such as Sembaruthi, Yaaradi Nee Mohini, Sathya, Oru Oorla Oru Rajakumari, Gokulathil Seethai etc. and non-fictions formats such as Super Mom, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Dance Jodi Dance, Junior Superstars etc. have transformed the landscape of Tamil Television Entertainment Industry. The channel has also been at the forefront of movie acquisitions, thereby providing the perfect blend of entertainment.

Taking forward the consumer understanding, library strength and learning from new ventures in south the network is looking at ZEE Thirai as a strong contender in the movie space. The biggest USP of the channel is the 52 premieres, with one premiere lined up for each week of the year – a first for any movie channel in the Tamil Television Industry. Zee Thirai will present viewers with the best of cinema, with a holistic mix of blockbuster and critically acclaimed films that is sure to satiate the entertainment needs of Tamil Cinema lovers around the world. The channel will also have several key highlights such as ‘Theri Fridays’ that will showcase blockbuster films every week, ‘Filter Kaviyam’ featuring the best of yesteryear classics and ‘Naduvalla Konjum Break-a Kanum’ break free movie every Friday.

With its launch, Zee Thirai aims to change the conversation from the ‘what’ to the ‘why’ of cinema by creating a platform to present some of the best work of the Tamil Movie Industry. With 400+ films in its library, the channel boasts a wide spectrum of films across genres from the industry’s finest stars that includes Mersal, 2.0, Kanna, Nerkonda Parvai, Irumbuthirai, Dhilluku Dhuttu 2, Kolamavu Kokila among many others.