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India’s tryst with dramas isn’t new; melodramas, Pakistani dramas and K-dramas have all dominated years of our viewing experience, and now there is a new kind of emerging drama variety that may just be the next big thing: micro-dramas.
What are micro-dramas?
Defined as a serialised web drama with “micro” episodes that last one or two minutes, micro-dramas or vertical micro web series are typically shot in the vertical format to enable mobile-friendly viewing and single-handed scrolling, as opposed to the horizontal, sit-down experience.
These can be compared with Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts, but their serialisation and consistent storylines set them apart. Also characteristic of micro-dramas are cliffhangers that push viewers to binge-watch the entire series.
Micro-dramas are being hailed as the next big thing because they seem to be a perfect fit for the attention-deficit generation that grew up on social media, Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
“Social media has primed audiences beautifully for microdramas rather than competing with them. Platforms like Instagram and YouTube have trained viewers to expect powerful, snackable storytelling," says Anuj Gosalia, founder and CEO of Terribly Tiny Tales, an Indian content company that popularised microfiction in 2013 before it became a buzzword.
"Micro-dramas take that familiarity a step further – offering continuity, emotional arcs, and character depth that social media snippets lack. In many ways, social media acts as a springboard: it gives us both the audience mindset and the platform to make microdramas thrive,” adds Gosalia.
TTT has recently launched Terribly Tiny TV, an IP dedicated to micro-dramas.
Where did it come from?
These ultra-short, serialised video narratives originated in China as duanju during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, and now they have taken over China’s box office collections, becoming a $7 billion industry with 662 million viewers, as per CNBC and Statista.
Red Fruit (Hongguo), Short Drama, ReelShort, DramaBox, GoodShort, and Kuaishou are the most popular micro-drama apps in China.
Micro-dramas' meteoric rise in China gave birth to a crowded marketplace for bite-sized content and also brought it under government scrutiny, pushing companies to scout for new overseas markets.
The USA has replicated the success of Chinese micro-dramas, establishing itself as the second-largest market for these genres outside China.
India is currently the sixth-largest consumer of micro-dramas in the world, after China, the USA, South Korea, Indonesia, and Japan, according to The Indian Express.
Indians consume micro-dramas on apps such as Flick TV, StoryTV, Bullet (by Zee), MX Fatafat (by Amazon MX Player), Quick TV, Moj (by ShareChat), Kuku TV (by Kuku FM), Kutingg (by Balaji Telefilms), Terribly Tiny TV (by Terribly Tiny Tales), Chai Shots, ReelSaga, JOJO, and Viralo. Patrons are also watching micro-dramas on Instagram and YouTube.
“Consumer habits are evolving in India, and there are multiple use cases today. Sometimes viewers want to sit back and binge, but there are also moments where they only have a few minutes and still want to be entertained," says Amogh Dusad, director and head of content, Amazon MX Player.
That’s where micro-dramas come in—serialised, snackable stories that can be consumed in short bursts. "We believe this is an evolving consumer need, and we see promising potential in this category," Dusad observes.
Amazon MX Player launched a free micro-drama subcategory titled MX Fatafat on the MX Player app in early 2025.
Who is watching it?
Women. According to Crazy Maple Studio, the parent company of ReelShort (a popular micro-drama app), women make up 70% of its 45 million active monthly viewers. 50% of these women are American.
Particularly in India, people in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, such as Kanpur, Patna, Bhubaneshwar, Jaipur, Kota, and Lucknow, make up 68% of the micro-drama fanbase, according to Financial Express. The report also projects that the micro-drama industry will reach $5 billion by 2030.
Micro-dramas are most popular among 18–35-year-olds, with strong traction in Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns. The format’s mobile-first, low-data design complements Android-dominated distribution and affordable access across middle-income households, according to Azim Lalani, co-founder and chief business officer of Bullet, a micro-drama sub-category in the ZEE5 app.
"What truly sets micro-dramas apart is their inherent accessibility, making them both geographically and linguistically inclusive, unlike traditional OTT, which often skews towards urban themes and audiences," adds Lalani.
According to Bernstein Research, an equity research and broking firm, Tier 2 cities in India use 35-40 GB of internet data per month, which is 30% higher than users in metro cities. Eighty-six per cent of Indians use mobile data to consume content on OTT, which now includes micro-dramas as well.
How is it made?
In comparison to long-format web series, micro-dramas are relatively cheaper and quicker to produce. However, they still require more effort than short-format video sketches doing the rounds of social media, as they require a production crew, actors, costumes, sets, etc.
Lalani from Bullet points out that the production timeline of micro-dramas represents a major shift in content efficiency.
A full season can be shot in just ~20 days, compared to 30–60 days for a traditional OTT show, cutting production time by nearly 80%. This is possible because each project runs with a lean team of 15–25 professionals and 3–5 actors.
"This model also benefits talent by allowing them to work on 20–25 projects a year versus just a few long-format shows. This efficiency enables platforms like Bullet to move from concept to release within weeks, staying responsive to audience trends and market demand in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.”
Budgets for micro-dramas are generally more compact compared to TV or OTT, given the shorter format and faster production cycles. However, they can scale up significantly if the cast includes popular names with a strong social media presence.
"Production-wise, everything is accelerated—shoots are tighter, sets are minimal, and post-production is swift to meet the high-volume demand of these platforms," says casting director Adityoa Suranna of the Diya Aur Baati Hum (Star Plus) and Criminal Justice (Hotstar) fame.
“Casting for TV and OTT often involves longer timelines, more layered narratives, and a detailed exploration of characters. With micro-dramas, the approach is much more agile," Suranna adds.
"The format is short and sharp, so we look for actors who can create impact instantly through expressions, dialogue delivery, and screen presence—without the luxury of extended screen time to build their arc,” he explains, drawing from his experience in casting for micro-dramas.
In addition to fresh talent, popular actors such as Zareen Khan, Kinshuk Vaidya (Sanju from Shaka Laka Boom Boom) and Jay Soni (young Jagya from Balika Vadhu) are also starring in micro-dramas now.
Addressing genres that work in micro-drama, Gosalia of Terribly Tiny Tales notes, “Genres that thrive on relatability and emotional payoffs have done particularly well, like romance, slice-of-life, and relationship dramas. However, we’re also seeing interesting traction in thriller and mystery formats, where cliffhangers at the end of each micro-episode keep audiences coming back.”
Echoing a similar sentiment, Dusad of MX Fatafat observes that globally, fast-paced genres such as romance, drama, and thrillers have done very well in this format.
"For India, we expect relatable everyday stories and aspirational youth-focused narratives to stand out. But the real learning will come once we put enough content out there and see how audiences respond. This is still a new format, so we’re looking at it as a space to experiment and adapt quickly.”
What are its revenue models?
In China, micro-drama apps started with a gamified freemium revenue model, i.e., the first few episodes are free, followed by paid episodes that can be purchased with in-app coins that one can earn by watching ads or using real currency. Apps in the USA also follow the same model.
However, different micro-drama apps in India use a combination of AVOD (Advertising-Based Video On Demand) and SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand) revenue models.
| Apps | Downloads | Revenue Models |
| Kuku TV | 50+ Million | Rs 499/3 months |
| Quick TV | 5 Million | Rs 499/3 months |
| Moj | 100+ Million | Ad-supported free app with tips to creators during live videos |
MX Fatafat (within MX Player) | - | Ad-supported free app |
| Bullet (within ZEE5) | - | Gamified, ad-supported subscription |
According to Venture Intelligence, an Indian data analysis firm, micro-drama OTT platforms in India raised $44 million in 2025 (in six rounds of investments), up from $28 million in 2024 (five rounds).
The same amount was raised in 2021, but through more deals, indicating larger investments this year.
Lalani says that, despite the compressed format, micro-dramas offer powerful opportunities for brand integration. Within the episodes, brands are seamlessly woven into the storyline through contextual product placement, ensuring integration feels organic rather than forced.
"Our platform also leverages gamification through features like Bullet Coins, where users engage with advertiser-sponsored content or unlock episodes via brand interactions, effectively making advertising part of the entertainment,” explains Lalani.
What are advertisers saying?
“At boAt, we’ve always believed that content is more powerful than conventional ads, and some of our past 1-2 minute content pieces are proof of that. They’ve consistently outperformed because they entertain first and sell later. That’s why Micro-Dramas are exciting for us,” says Vedansh Kumar, head of brand marketing, boAt.
Kumar adds that their bite-sized and serialised nature is perfectly suited for today’s attention spans, giving boAt a chance to integrate the brand in ways that feel natural, not disruptive.
“If the narrative matches our vibe – fun, energetic, and rooted in youth culture – micro-dramas could be a fantastic way for us to deepen our connection with Gen Z and millennials.”
Rajiv Dubey, VP & head of media, Dabur India Ltd, notes that forward-thinking D2C brands stand to benefit significantly from embracing micro-dramas.
"As digital platforms, influencer ecosystems, and audience behaviours continue to shift, micro-drama partnerships represent not just an innovative marketing tactic but an essential move to remain culturally relevant and meaningfully connected with India’s next generation of consumers. However, the measurable impact of this will have to be closely monitored."
Afaqs spoke to another young and innovative D2C brand for a comment. Nikhil Narayanan, the head of creative strategy and brand director at Zlade, a body grooming brand, says, “We have always believed in surprising and entertaining our audiences.”
"If you see the content on our socials, you will get a picture of this. We try to make things a fun watch for the people rather than hard-sell our products. Because they are being badgered with sales pitches every minute. Why add to it? Even our performance pieces are, in essence, micro-dramas. So, of course, we will be writing really short stories and scripts with these micro dramas in mind.”
Zlade is expected to start making micro-drama-like content for its own social media, and later on, with budgets firmly in sight, explore collabs (with existing micro-dramas).”
Netflix and Amazon Prime eliminated the need to wait for a day or a week for the next episode of our favourite TV show and got India bingeing. Now micro-dramas have entered the world of OTT, reducing an episode from 20 minutes to two minutes. Dramas are now consumed on metro rides to and from work instead of in the living room after work. Could micro-dramas be the next big thing in India?
