India’s Zee-branded original and/or exclusive releases serving Hindi and regional audiences continue to come thick and fast, ranging from true crime docs to romance, father-son family drama and reality. 

Releases in the last few days include Riverland Entertainment’s docu-series, "Lawrence of Punjab", which lands globally on streaming platform Zee5 on 27 April. The Hindi-language six-episode show, directed by Raghav Dhar, traces the journey of a criminal identity through the lens of culture, systems, and visibility through the story of Lawrence Bishnoi. Director Raghav Dhar said the series was “always envisioned as more than just a crime story. Our intent was to understand the ‘why’ behind the making of such identities: the environment, the influences, and the systems that shape them”.

"Lawrence of Punjab" follows Telugu-language romantic drama, "Band Melam", which releases globally on 24 April. Written and directed by Sathish Javvaji and produced by Kavya Kona and Shravya Kona under Kona Film Corporation, the film stars Harsh Roshan and Sridevi Apalla in a rural story about childhood friends Giri and Raaji whose love blossoms against the backdrop of a local musical band. 

The two titles follow the release last week (17 April) of Malayalam family comedy-drama "Ashakal Aayiram". The film explores the bond between a father and son through humour, conflict and reconciliation.  

Zee5 has also just announced upcoming fantasy‑comedy thriller, "JERAXX", by Daali Pictures for streaming service Kannada Zee5. The platform highlights the film’s strong Kannada cultural identity, and is billing the film as a “distinct new‑age Kannada original” and part of its commitment to hyper-local narratives and creators. The release date has not been confirmed. 

At home, regional-language service Zee Kannada released the latest version of young talent reality show "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs" at the weekend, following the success of Dance Karnataka Dance. The series features contestants between 3 and 15 years old.