ZEE5 Goes Free on Samsung Smart TVs: 5 FAST Channels That Could Reshape India's CTV Game

Introduction

What if the next big battleground in Indian streaming isn't a paywall — but a remote control? As smart TV penetration surges across Indian households, platforms are racing to claim prime real estate on the biggest screen in the living room. ZEE5's latest move puts it squarely at the centre of this shift. By launching five genre-specific FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) channels on Samsung TV Plus, the platform is betting big on accessibility over exclusivity. And for Indian brands and marketers, this partnership signals something much larger than a content deal.

The Big Announcement

ZEE5 has officially launched five dedicated FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus India, making its content available to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners — completely free, no subscription, no login required.

The five channels are:

• Zee Comedy Nation — comedy shows and films
• Zee Dil Se — drama series
• ZEE Horror Nights — horror and supernatural content
• ZEE Cine Classic — timeless Hindi cinema
• ZEE South Flix — South Indian films dubbed in Hindi

Each channel offers a scheduled, always-on viewing format — think of it as curated linear TV, but delivered digitally on a smart screen. Samsung TV Plus comes pre-installed on Samsung Smart TVs, which means zero friction for viewers. The content draws from ZEE5's deep library, and the experience is designed for the classic lean-back viewing style that large screens naturally invite.

What This Means for Your Brand

This isn't just a distribution deal — it's a signal about where Indian eyeballs are heading.

ZEE5 has disclosed that 64% of its premium content watch time now originates from Connected Devices, a figure that underlines a decisive shift in how urban — and increasingly semi-urban — India consumes entertainment. That's a massive, high-intent audience watching on large screens, in focused viewing sessions, with far less multitasking than mobile.

For advertisers and brand managers, FAST channels present a compelling proposition. Unlike subscription-based platforms where ad inventory is limited or absent, FAST is built entirely around an ad-supported model. Brands get contextual adjacency — a horror show audience, a drama loyalist, a comedy fan — all neatly segmented by genre.

Consider a regional FMCG brand wanting to reach Hindi-speaking South Indian audiences. ZEE South Flix, with its dubbed South Indian content, offers a culturally specific, large-screen environment that's hard to replicate through traditional digital buys.

The contrarian view? FAST channels carry a commoditisation risk. When content is free and always-on, viewer loyalty can be shallow. Brands need creative that earns attention, not just buys placement.

The Numbers Behind the News

The FAST channel model is gaining serious traction globally, and India is catching up fast — pun intended. According to industry observers, the Connected TV advertising market in India is projected to grow significantly through 2026, driven by rising smart TV shipments and improved broadband penetration in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

Samsung is one of India's top-selling smart TV brands, which means its pre-installed TV Plus app has an enormous built-in distribution advantage. For ZEE5, this partnership bypasses the usual app download barrier entirely — content reaches the viewer before they even go looking for it.

Siju Prabhakaran, Chief Business Officer at ZEE5, summed up the platform's intent clearly: accessibility and scale, he noted, will define the next phase of digital entertainment growth in India.

Kunal Mehta, Head of Partnerships at Samsung TV Plus India, echoed the strategic fit, pointing to the importance of local content partnerships in deepening Samsung TV Plus's relevance for Indian viewers.

The brands.in Perspective

ZEE5's FAST move is a masterclass in reach-first thinking. While rivals obsess over subscriber counts, ZEE5 is quietly building a parallel distribution empire — one that doesn't require a credit card. For marketers, this is the CTV moment they've been waiting for: premium, genre-sorted, large-screen inventory at scale. The real test will be ad product sophistication. If ZEE5 and Samsung can offer dynamic ad insertion, audience data overlays, and brand-safe environments on these channels, India's CTV advertising story just got a very exciting new chapter.

Key Takeaways for Marketers

• FAST channels are now a serious CTV ad format in India
• 64% of ZEE5's premium watch time comes from Connected Devices
• Genre-based targeting on FAST offers sharper audience segmentation
• Samsung TV Plus is pre-installed — zero download friction for viewers
• Free content models grow reach faster than subscription-only strategies

FAQ

Q: What is a FAST channel and how is it different from regular OTT? FAST stands for Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV. Unlike subscription platforms, FAST channels are free to watch and monetised through ads. They typically follow a scheduled, linear-style format rather than on-demand viewing.

Q: Do Samsung Smart TV owners need to download the ZEE5 app to watch these channels? No. The five ZEE5 FAST channels are available directly on Samsung TV Plus, which comes pre-installed on Samsung Smart TVs. No separate download, subscription, or login is needed.

Q: Why should marketers care about FAST channels specifically? FAST channels offer brand-safe, genre-specific ad inventory on large screens — a high-attention environment. As CTV adoption grows in India, FAST becomes a cost-effective way to reach engaged, living-room audiences at scale.

Let's Talk

Is your brand's media plan ready for the Connected TV boom — or are you still thinking mobile-first in a smart TV world? Tell us in the comments below.

Stay ahead of India's biggest brand and marketing moves — follow brands.in for daily intelligence that keeps you one step ahead.