“We Set the Benchmark, Others Followed – We Are 100% Original: ZEE5 Telugu Business Head Anuradha

India’s premier media house, ZEE Network, has always been at the forefront of producing original content since its inception. As ZEE Telugu recently celebrated its 20-year milestone, the organisation marked the occasion by honouring women’s power. Under this theme, ZEE5 unveiled its new original web series, “Viraatapalem: PC Meena Reporting”, on June 26. The seven-episode series has received an overwhelmingly positive response from audiences and is poised to become one of the most successful shows on the platform.

Directed by Poluru Krishna, Viraatapalem features Abhignya Vuthaluru in the lead role. KV Sriram produced the project under South Indian Screens. This edge-of-the-seat investigative thriller features Charan Lakkaraju, Lavanya Sahukara, Ramaraju, Gowtham Raju, Satish, Surya Teja and Krishna Teja in supporting roles. Thejaswi Pera is the writer of the series, and Vikram Kumar Kandimalla worked on the screenplay for it. The background score was composed by Rohit Kumar. Mahesh K Swaroop served as the Director of Photography, and Farooq Hundekar handled the editing.

The makers held a press meet today to celebrate the success of the series and also address the copyright controversy that has been surrounding the media over the last few days. The success meet was graced by prominent figures including ZEE5 Telugu Business Head Anuradha, ZEE5 Telugu Originals Vice President Sai Tej Deshraj, ZEE Telugu Senior Vice President of Commissioning and On-Air Promotions Jayanth, ZEE5 South Marketing Senior Lloyd C Xavier, Viraatapalem Producer KV Sriram, DOP Mahesh, Writers Divya Tejaswini and Vikram Kumar, and actors Krishna Teja, Satish, and Surya Teja.

Speaking at the event, Anuradha addressed both the success of the series and the ongoing legal controversy regarding its copyright. She said, “Generally, I prefer staying away from public statements, but today’s context demands a response — especially as we celebrate 20 years of ZEE Telugu. ZEE has been a trendsetter in the satellite TV space, introducing iconic shows that have shaped the industry. We have always delivered 100% original content. Three of our Telugu shows have been adapted into Hindi recently. With ZEE5 Telugu, we started strong with GOD, followed by acclaimed series in collaboration with industry’s best talents, like Gaalivaana with BBC, ATM with Dil Raju Garu, Paruvu with Gold Box Entertainment, Oka Chinna Family Story with Niharika Konidela’s Pink Elephant Pictures and Puli Meka with Kona Venkat Garu — the first cop-based series in Telugu OTT. We paved the way, and others followed.”

She added, “There has been a lot of misinformation in recent days, but we’ve chosen to stay silent while the matter is sub judice. Once the court verdict is out, we will present the scripts of both shows for public evaluation if needed. All I can firmly say is we are 100% original. Despite the negativity at the time of its release, Viraatapalem has performed exceptionally well. We are happy for that.”

Commenting on plagiarism allegations, Anuradha stated, “Some story ideas are like white clothes — you can’t copyright the cloth, but the prints on the cloth can be copyrighted. When there were objections regarding our content, we agreed to hold a screening for the other party as per the court’s order. However, before the screening, they held a press meeting and made allegations. But after watching the series, they left silently and deferred the court hearing to July 9. That silence said it all. We will wait for the court’s verdict to speak further, and I can say that the truth will prevail.” “Going forward, we will incorporate specific clauses when working with young writers to prevent legal complications,” she further added.

ZEE5 Vice President Sai Tej Deshraj said, “We are proud to experiment with genres and continue ZEE’s legacy as India’s first private media channel post-liberalisation in 1992. Under ZEE5, we’ve consistently delivered high-budget, quality web series. We aim to release a new series every month and introduce at least 15–20 new technicians to the industry this year. The love for Viraatapalem has been immense — thank you all.”

Senior VP Jayanth added, “Since the premiere, I’ve been flooded with congratulatory messages. Kudos to writers Divya and Vikram for crafting such thrilling episodes. Thanks to Deshraj, Sriram, Lloyd, Anuradha Ma’am, and the entire ZEE5 family.”

Lloyd C Xavier said, “Thank you to every team member for creating a 100% original blockbuster. This is what ZEE5 stands for — originality and excellence.”

Producer KV Sriram expressed gratitude: “My production Recce released in June 2022 was a hit, and now Viraatapalem in June 2025 is another milestone. We meticulously recreated the 1980s era, and every cast and crew member contributed to its authenticity. Thank you all for this huge success.”

Writer Divya Tejaswini said, “Viraatapalem has received an amazing response. I thank Anuradha garu and Deshraj garu for their unwavering support. The ZEE family’s solidarity means a lot. Allegations should be made with caution — village-based cop stories are many, but that doesn’t mean they’re the same. Our series shares no resemblance with others. Our work will speak louder than accusations.”

DOP Mahesh remarked, “This is my third consecutive success with ZEE5 — after Recce and Puli Meka. I hope to deliver a hat-trick success to my producer, Sriram garu, as well. Thank you to the audience for their support.”

Writer Vikram Kumar shared, “Four pillars made Viraatapalem happen — Anuradha ma’am, Deshraj garu, Sriram garu, and our director Krishna garu. Divya initially pitched the idea, and we built it together for the last four years. Anuradha ma’am greenlit the project immediately after hearing the narration.  We’ve been working on this for 3–4 years, and it is disheartening to see a few people trying to make allegations without even watching the series. But we believe in our judicial system and are confident that the truth will prevail.”

Actor Surya Teja said, “After Recce, Viraatapalem is another major success for South India Screens. I’m thankful to Sriram garu, Krishna garu, and Anuradha ma’am for this opportunity.”

Actor Krishna Teja added, “This character is very close to my heart. Thanks to the writers and director for trusting me. ZEE5’s aggressive promotion helped the show reach a wider audience.”

Actor Satish, who made a comeback with Viraatapalem, said, “After Konchem Ishtam Konchem Kashtam, I took a break. Viraatapalem is my best comeback. Even with a brief role, I received a lot of appreciation. Most of my hits have come through ZEE. Their originality is undeniable.”