^{Photo: ET Edge Insights}

Micro-dramas have rapidly become the most explosive segment of India’s digital entertainment landscape, with analysts projecting the market to reach one billion dollars by 2030. The trend mirrors the meteoric rise seen in China, where these fast-paced, plot-heavy episodes — typically between 90 seconds and two minutes — have grown into a seven billion dollar sector, surpassing traditional box office revenue last year. Now, India is embracing the format with full force, reshaping viewing habits and accelerating a new content race.

Amazon-owned MX Player has officially entered the niche with its micro-drama platform in India, signaling a shift that is gaining traction among streaming giants, short-video apps, and production houses. With smartphones becoming the primary screen for the country’s massive population, the timing could not be more favorable. India may not always align politically with China, but in digital entertainment strategy, it is following a proven blueprint — and adding its own scale and creativity to it.

The Rise of India’s Next Billion-Dollar Content Format

Micro-dramas are emerging as the fastest-growing category within India’s 2.4 billion dollar gaming and interactive media industry, according to a detailed report by Redseer and Bitkraft. The broader sector is forecast to reach 7.8 billion dollars by 2030, with micro-dramas alone expected to contribute one billion dollars within five years.

Industry leaders see this shift as a natural evolution of India’s digital consumption habits. Short-form video exploded during the TikTok era, which attracted hundreds of millions of users before its 2020 ban. Meta responded by launching Instagram Reels in India first, a move that helped the platform surpass 480 million Indian users by October 2025.

Now, with Chinese apps still banned, homegrown platforms backed by private equity and venture capital are stepping into the gap. Bengaluru-based ShareChat and its short-video arm Moj represent over 200 million users combined. Five months ago, ShareChat doubled down on the trend by launching QuickTV — a subscription-driven platform focused exclusively on professionally produced micro-dramas. The service now draws 40 million micro-drama viewers per month.

Major Players Enter the Battlefield

The competitive landscape has intensified rapidly. Over the past six months:

• Amazon MX launched the Fatafat micro-drama category
• Zee Entertainment invested in the Bullet app
• Hoichoi introduced Sooper
• PE- and VC-funded platforms like Kuku TV and Story TV accelerated production pipelines

This expansion signals broader confidence in the genre’s ability to drive engagement, retention, and monetization. As Amogh Dusad of Amazon MX Player noted, micro-dramas align perfectly with “fast-scrolling, snackable moments” that dominate mobile usage patterns.

Smartphones Powering the Shift

India’s smartphone ecosystem is one of the largest in the world, with 750 to 800 million active users — second only to China. This massive base has fundamentally altered content consumption.

Television writer-turned-content head Sambbhav Khetarpal explains that the shift began years ago: television has become the secondary screen, while mobile phones dominate daily attention. Many early micro-dramas were simply dubbed Chinese series, but Indian writers are now developing original scripts tailored to local tastes.

However, experts caution that copycat content will not sustain long-term growth. Differentiated storylines, strong writing, and high production value will determine which platforms survive. As Karanvir Bohra, actor-turned-micro-drama producer, emphasized, “there must be a hook every minute or the audience will simply scroll away.”

The Revenue Challenge

While most platforms currently rely on subscription models, analysts believe this approach will only remain viable until user bases reach around 10 to 15 million. Beyond that point, advertising will need to contribute significantly to revenue.

Industry leaders observe that:

• 70% to 80% of subscription revenue is spent on marketing through Instagram and Facebook
• The remaining revenue is divided between production houses and distribution platforms
• Ownership of a large content library boosts engagement and strengthens monetization opportunities

Short-form video also lends itself naturally to advertising — a model that has already proven successful for TikTok and Reels. Ads can be placed every few videos without disrupting the viewing experience, making micro-dramas particularly appealing to advertisers.

Meta has noticed the shift as well. In September, it launched its own micro-drama series “Party for Two,” signaling that global platforms are now treating the segment as a strategic priority.

Content Production Boom on the Horizon

Producing micro-dramas is relatively cost-efficient, with many series made for under three thousand dollars. Combined with the availability of talent from Bollywood, television, and streaming, experts expect a flood of new content to hit the market over the next three to four years. Platforms will compete not only on quantity but on creative innovation, pacing, and genre experimentation.

Writers, investors, and platform heads agree that India’s micro-drama sector is at the beginning of a high-growth cycle. What started as localized adaptations of Chinese formats is evolving into a distinctive Indian content category poised for international influence.

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India’s micro-drama wave represents a fundamental shift in entertainment consumption, shaped by smartphones, fast-paced storytelling, and rising digital competition. With billions of dollars in potential value, an expanding creator ecosystem, and major players entering the arena, the country is establishing itself as a global hub for ultra-short serialized content. And as the format matures, the world may soon see Indian micro-dramas inspiring storylines far beyond its borders.