iWorld
WinZO, Balaji join forces for India’s microdrama wave
MUMBAI: India’s digital screens just got a new heartbeat with WinZO and Balaji Telefilms teaming up to create the country’s first transmedia universe. The collaboration brings cinematic storytelling to microdramas, letting characters, games, and stories leap seamlessly across formats.
Within three months of launching its microdrama platform ZO TV, WinZO has already crossed 500 titles, making it one of the fastest-growing short-format content libraries globally. The move positions India firmly in the 26 billion dollar short-drama industry, one of the fastest-growing entertainment categories worldwide.
WinZO co-founder Paavan Nanda said, “We are building the world’s first transmedia platform from India, where games, stories, and digital experiences coexist. Microdramas are the next global frontier. Partnering with Balaji brings together top storytellers and cutting-edge technology to create stories that resonate in India and across the world.”
Balaji Telefilms joint managing director Ekta Kapoor added, “Storytelling must evolve with the times. From television to digital and now microdramas, this collaboration allows us to connect deeply with audiences everywhere.” Balaji Telefilms CRO Nitin Burman said, “Audiences today want bite-sized content but still crave emotion, drama, and connection. This partnership makes storytelling more interactive and engaging than ever before.”
WinZO has already achieved over 100 million episodes viewed globally, leveraging its 250 million users, 75,000 content creators, and a legacy of publishing and distributing 100 games. By focusing on authentic characters, strong writing, and culturally rooted narratives, the platform is redefining India’s storytelling soul while laying the foundation for a global transmedia franchise.
The partnership also includes initiatives to nurture India’s next generation of creators through workshops, creator accelerators, and collaborations at marquee forums such as Waves Film Bazaar and the International Film Festival of India. Microdramas are not just a new format, but the first step in building a creative ecosystem where India tells its stories to the world, one two-minute episode at a time.
iWorld
PM Modi hits 30M subscribers on Youtube
World’s most-followed leader adds to 100M Instagram milestone last month.
MUMBAI: PM Narendra Modi just clicked ‘subscribe’ on digital dominance because when your YouTube channel outpaces world leaders like a viral cat video, even politics gets binge-worthy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Youtube channel has surged past 30 million subscribers, solidifying his status as the most-followed world leader on the platform, officials announced on 24 February 2026. This milestone leaves former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro second with about one-fourth of Modi’s count in the dust, while US President Donald Trump trails with roughly one-seventh the subscribers.
The achievement builds on Modi’s Instagram triumph last month, where he became the first global leader to cross 100 million followers. On Instagram, Modi towers over peers, Trump at 43 million, Prabowo Subianto at 15 million, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at 14 million, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at 11 million, and Javier Milei at 6 million their combined totals still fall short of Modi’s solo mark.
Domestically, the gap is equally stark. Modi’s subscriber base is three times that of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and over four times the channels of the Aam Aadmi Party and Indian National Congress. On Instagram, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has 16 million followers, while Gandhi counts 12 million.
Modi joined YouTube and Instagram in 2014, evolving both into powerhouses of digital outreach with governance highlights, cultural moments, and direct citizen engagement. In a world where likes and shares shape narratives, Modi isn’t just leading polls, he’s leading the scroll, turning policy into playlist gold.
