The Viral Fever (TVF), recognized for popular series like Panchayat and Aspirants, is broadening its horizons by venturing into Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, and Bengali content, while also making its theatrical debut with a Hindi film titled Vvan–Force of the Forest. TVF has already introduced regional language shows such as Sivarapalli (Telugu) and Shanti Kranti (Marathi), identifying these four Indian languages as significant growth areas due to their strong presence in television viewership and advertising revenue, as stated by Vijay Koshy, president of TVF.
“Regional content is a major focus for us. Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, and Bengali are the four languages that command a substantial share of viewership and advertising in broadcast television,” Koshy noted. TVF aims to explore spin-offs and crossovers between films and television shows, creating an interconnected universe. Vvan, featuring Sidharth Malhotra and co-produced by Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Motion Pictures with an estimated budget of ₹40-50 crore, represents a step in this direction.
According to media consulting firm Ormax, the third season of TVF’s Panchayat was the second most-watched Hindi web series in 2024, attracting 28.2 million viewers, just behind Mirzapur season three from Excel Entertainment. TVF’s third season of Kota Factory garnered 15.8 million views, and the fourth season of Gullak reached 12.1 million views, both making it to Ormax’s top 15 Hindi web series of 2024.
Koshy mentioned that eight of TVF’s properties have successfully completed four seasons, a notable achievement in an industry where video-streaming platforms are cutting budgets and reducing commissions. After launching 14 shows in 2024, TVF plans to release 20 shows this year and is currently developing the fourth season of Panchayat, the fifth season of Gullak, the third season of Aspirants, the second season of Half CA, and a new show titled Gram Chikitsalaya.
Most Indian shows on platforms like Amazon and Netflix typically do not extend beyond two or three seasons. Additionally, video-streaming platforms are scaling back their budgets as paid subscriptions plateau and digital advertising has yet to gain momentum. “There is a slowdown. The number of platforms has decreased. We’ve experienced a lull for 12 months in terms of acquisitions,” Koshy remarked. “However, our calendar is largely filled for the next 18 months, with enough shows progressing into multiple seasons. Even platforms prefer to establish long-term deals with us to safeguard both parties’ interests.”
While TVF initially enjoyed a first-mover advantage in India’s digital content landscape, it now faces competition from major Bollywood studios such as Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Entertainment, Farhan Akhtar-owned Excel Entertainment, and companies like Banijay Asia and Abundantia Entertainment.
