Asia
Short, vertically shot films are exploding in popularity across India, and analysts say the mobile-first format could grow into a billion-dollar industry within five years.
First popularised in China, micro-dramas are finding new fans in India. Analysts predict the sector could be worth more than US$1 billion in the next five years.
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08 Dec 2025 01:14PM
NEW DELHI: India’s digital entertainment landscape is shifting as millions of viewers trade traditional hour-long television serials to binge on something more compact – micro-dramas.
These vertically shot stories – each just two to three minutes long – are emerging as a potential game-changer in the battle for audience attention.
New entrants to the market believe these bite-sized narratives could reshape the country’s media industry.
A NEW STORYTELLING FORMULA
On set, the production of a micro-drama is no different from a Netflix series or Bollywood movie. Directors call out cues, actors take their places and cameras roll.
But the product is entirely different – tightly edited episodes designed to be watched in the few spare minutes users have between tasks during the day.
“They’re short, punchy pieces that deliver a twist or a cliff-hanger in under three minutes,” said producer Anish Surana, who runs Ananta Productions, one of India’s early micro-drama makers.
He believes it is the instant payoff from such content that keeps audiences coming back – the same behaviour that fuels social media consumption.
“It’s basically you getting that dopamine high which you get from that instant gratification,” Surana said.
“In two minutes, I’ve seen something, it has given us the high of a hook, and I want to watch it again.”
BILLION-DOLLAR INDUSTRY
First popularised in China, micro-dramas are finding new fans in India. Analysts predict the sector could be worth more than US$1 billion in the next five years.
The growth is not just confined to metropolitan audiences. Viewers in smaller cities are getting hooked too. Among the format’s avid fans is taxi driver Bhoore Singh.
“A lot of the time, I am sitting idle, waiting for a cab booking. For one or two hours, I keep watching (micro-dramas),” he said.
“When a ride request comes in, I turn it off; then (when) I’m sitting somewhere else, I start watching again. Like this, I end up spending about five to six hours on it every day.”
INVESTORS TAKING NOTICE
With more than 659 million smartphone users, India is a natural market for mobile-first storytelling, especially in a vertical format tailored for on-the-go consumption.
Investors are betting heavily on this format as the future of digital entertainment.
Investments in short-content platforms nearly doubled this year to US$48 million, up from US$28 million last year.
But the sector is becoming increasingly crowded. With more than 15 players in the country vying for attention, each must compete harder to stand out.
Film critic Murtaza Ali Khan says platforms will need a clear identity if they hope to retain users.
“It is about consistency and the niches and the themes that you stick with. (If) one day you are offering drama, next day you are offering crime fiction and next day you are offering musicals, it’s going to totally confuse the audiences,” he said.
“They don’t want to come to you because you offer a potpourri of options – they will come because you will offer them something that they relate to.”
At Ananta Productions, Surana and his team aim to take Indian micro-dramas to the world stage, taking on Chinese creators who have already established a strong foothold abroad.
But for now, the biggest fans are still at home, snacking on bite-sized episodes throughout the day.
Producers believe they are only at the beginning of what could be a major shift towards establishing micro-dramas as a true alternative to reels, TV shows and full-length films.