Ayyana Mane on OTT: Zee5’s first Kannada original series sets streaming record in only 5 days

On April 25, the first-ever Kannada original web series became available on Zee5. Called Ayyana Mane , the 6-episode series, was written and directed by Premier Padmini fame Ramesh Indira, who is also a much sought-after antagonist in Kannada cinema, thanks to roles in Sapta Sagaradaache Ello and Kotee, among others. It had a lot riding on it, given that mainstream OTT platforms had a hands-off approach as far as Kannada content goes, for the longest. Ayyana Mane had to be the show that instils confidence in OTT platforms to log Kannada shows and movies into their libraries.

Ayyana Mane records 50 million streaming minutes  

When the initial reviews came, though, it appeared that Ayyana Mane would fail on that count, given that Shruti and Ramesh took a subject that they would ideally convert into a long-drawn-out television soap and condensed it for the streamer. A 90s story set in a household in Chikkamagaluru, Ayyana Mane had dated written all over it and yet, despite the brickbats from critics, audiences seem to have lapped it up. The show, which is available to stream in Kannada and Hindi has, reportedly, set streaming records, getting to 50 million streaming minutes in only 5 days since its premiere.

Spread across 6 episodes, each of 18-20 minutes run-time only, Ayyana Mane follows Jaji (Kushee Ravi), the new daughter-in-law at Ayyana Mane, who finds out that the three sons, including her husband Dushyanth, had lost their wives under strange circumstances. They believe it to be the handiwork of Kondayya, the family deity, with a prophecy that at least 3 more will perish. Will Jaji be next? Is the family really cursed by Kondayya or is something more sinister at play? That is what Ayyana Mane is all about.

Also read: Ayyana Mane director Ramesh Indira: I wrote the show to make a name and open doors to a new platform for Kannada content 

The series stars Mansi Sudhir, Vijay Shobraj Pavoor, Anirudh Acharya, Akshay Nayak (Olavina Nildana fame), Kushee Ravi, Hitha Chandrashekar, Kushi Chandrashekar, Archana Kottige, among others.