The nine-year itch: Why Z returned to the kids’ category with a digital-first multiverse

Children’s media consumption has changed significantly over the past decade. They went from watching cartoons on the TV at an eye-safe distance to consuming content on mobile phones or tablets inches away from their faces.

However, the current Indian kids' content market is mostly a duopoly: the high-budget global giants such as Disney and the algorithmic allure of YouTube. After an almost decade-long hiatus following the closure of ZeeQ, a kids' TV channel by Z (formerly Zee), the media house has re-entered the playground with KidZ.

KidZ is a dedicated kids’ vertical on Z’s Z5 OTT platform, featuring curated content for kids aged 6 to 16. It was launched in November 2025. 100s of titles on KidZ are available in 12 Indian languages, including Hindi, English, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, etc. KidZ has free titles as well as paid ones that one can access with a Z5 subscription plan (Rs 299/month) or for a kids-only plan for Rs 49/month.

Aiming to cater to the “33 crore children” in India, KidZ isn't just a platform; it's a "frugal" but ambitious attempt to build a localised superhero universe that aims to snatch attention back from the unregulated content of YouTube, says Chandan Khandelwal, the business head of KidZ and vice president of platform strategy.

The 'safe-fun' proposition vs the algorithmic Wild West

The primary differentiator for KidZ is a direct response to parental anxiety regarding YouTube’s lack of guardrails. Khandelwal frames the brand around a "mom-approved" tag that contrasts sharply with the "blind entertainment" of its biggest competitor.

Who is KidZ’s competition? "YouTube is the biggest competitor," Khandelwal admits. "That's one of the white spaces; our content is safe. That's why safety becomes paramount and primary. What happens if you give a child YouTube? Children have access to everything. Children these days are very smart, so that 's something that they can navigate through."

To counter this, KidZ is leaning on structural safety. "We have created a dedicated kids' profile, which can be locked by parental PIN. So what it means is that if you only want your kid to watch through that profile, you will lock your profile. That safety mechanism is already built in."

The 'better late than never' pivot

The decision to return to the kids' category wasn't born out of nostalgia but out of demographic data. Khandelwal is clear about the missing piece in Z’s puzzle.

"One of the things that the leadership and the Z management felt is that while we have established a strong hold in some of these women-centric categories and adult categories, one of the things that we are missing in the puzzle is the youth and the kids category," Khandelwal explains.

Addressing the long hiatus of almost nine years since ZeeQ shut down owing to a consolidation at the media house, he admits, "It is a segment that we need to target, and that's why right now it is still better late than never. We are still entering the market, but there's a lot to explore because it's a high-potential market."

From licensing IPs to creating them

While KidZ currently relies on a library of licensed, non-exclusive content, including heavyweights such as Lego and Chhota Bheem, the long-term play is about owning the "universe". Khandelwal discusses a roadmap for original production.

"Now we are moving quickly towards our original IPs. So if you ask me right now, the number of original IPs is 20%, and the non-exclusive licensed IPs will be around 80%. But if you ask me a year later, it will be 50-50," says Khandelwal.

Despite the high cost of animation, Khandelwal views this as an investment in "evergreen" assets.

"The thing with animation is that if you make good animation content, every five years, you get a new audience for it. The content's relevance doesn't die with kids because the basic structure of the content, the messaging of the content, is relevant for kids even after five years."

Building a multiverse for kids

One of the most intriguing aspects of the KidZ strategy is "Derived IPs," which takes Z's adult hits and reimagines them for a younger audience. A prime example is Chhota Tara Ka Bada Gadar, a spin-off of their iconic Gadar franchise from 2001 starring Sunny Deol.

"We are creating a universe. Tara is just one character. So, just like the multiverses and the universes that are getting created in the superhero genre, we are also trying to create a KidZ universe," Khandelwal notes.

"One character will move to another character's storyline, plot points. They will solve some problems together. So the plans do not restrict one character to just one format or to one age group as well."

Solving the screen time guilt

In a market dominated by YouTube, where content is often overstimulating or unregulated, KidZ is positioning itself as the "Mom-Approved" alternative.

The platform is doubling down on Indian mythology and life skills, aiming for the "sweet spot" of co-viewing.

"Our stories will have very strong female characters as well," Khandelwal asserts, dismissing the traditional industry notion that kids’ platforms only cater to boys under the assumption that girls only co-view with mothers. "I don't see any gender discrimination in terms of the TG that we are targeting. The shows we are making are appealing to girls as well."

On the controversial topic of fast-paced, overstimulating digital content, he adds, "We are offering a safe environment, we are offering value-driven content, and we are offering them diversity. The content will be mostly about Indian values, introducing them to our history and culture, and will include some entertainment. I don't see it as overestimating content."

Where is KidZ advertising?

Because kids don’t hold the credit cards, the marketing strategy is going hyper-local, moving from the screen to the school gate and the housing society lift.

"We have tied up with some of the school branding companies. There is gate advertising and desk advertising. So we are reaching out to partners who can help us reach out to schools and do a lot of on-ground marketing and activation for us. This is to ensure that children are aware of our offerings," Khandelwal explains.

The one-year milestone

When KidZ enters its first full year of growth, the metric for success will be as much about sentiment as it is about market share.

"If I have to give you a tangible milestone, if I ask any mother what the top three kids' OTT brands in the country are, KidZ should be one of them," Khandelwal concludes. "The idea is to be as strong as the other OTT brands in the market. 10% share in the OTT market, for kids, we would like to get their business."