Streaming of Z5’s latest unique movie, Detective Sherdil, starring Diljit Dosanjh, has begun in the present day, June 20, 2025. Ali Abbas Zafar, the movie’s producer, who made his producing debut with 2020’s Khaali Peeli, now made his return to Z5 (OTTplay Premium) after 5 lengthy years.
Catch Diljit Dosanjh at his entertaining greatest in Jatt & Juliet 3, Jodi, and Babe Bhangra Paunde Ne—now streaming on OTTplay Premium.
Ali Abbas Zafar’s journey as a producer
Ali Abbas Zafar, who had beforehand directed blockbuster theatrical options like Sultan and Tiger Zinda Hai, made his digital manufacturing debut with the Z5 unique Khaali Peeli, which featured Ananya Panday and Ishaan Khatter. A pioneer amongst mainstream audiences’ first forays into direct-to-digital distribution, the movie debuted through the COVID-19 pandemic when theatres had been closed.
Within the time after, Zafar maintained a constant price of manufacturing and directing. He oversaw the manufacturing and directing of the historic drama Jogi in 2022, which starred Diljit Dosanjh and was primarily based on the anti-Sikh riots of 1984. As a consequence of its delicate remedy of the problem, the Netflix unique movie launched to optimistic critiques.
An motion movie directed by Zafar and that includes Shahid Kapoor, Bloody Daddy debuted on now-JioHotstar in 2023. The stylised remedy and digital-first distribution of the high-octane thriller, which was tailored from the French movie “Sleepless Evening,” garnered consideration.
Return to theatres with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan
In 2024, Zafar helmed the huge motion entertainer Bade Miyan Chote Miyan that hit theatres. Returning to big-screen extravaganzas after a string of streaming releases, the movie featured Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff.
Detective Sherdil marks Zafar’s return to the OTT, albeit this time he’s producing genre-based tales reasonably than directing or producing big-budget movies. Diljit Dosanjh brings a lighter facet to Zafar’s filmography along with his comic-investigative half. Not solely that, however it reveals that he’s nonetheless actively concerned with digital platforms outdoors of his theatre work.
Whereas the movie provides to his manufacturing credit, it additionally displays the rising overlap between theatrical names and streaming platforms—a pattern that continues to form launch methods throughout the trade.