iWorld
Crunchyroll announces further expansion in India at Anime event in Mumbai
Mumbai: Crunchyroll, the world’s ultimate home for anime, announced more anime content and more dubs at a fan-filled premiere event in Mumbai this evening. The host of announcements signaled further investment in the India market and ambitions to super-serve anime fans in all parts of the country.
Crunchyroll president Rahul Purini, travelled to Mumbai to celebrate the screening of the Hindi dub (S1 – E1 and E2) of JUJUTSU KAISEN where he shared some news with a room full of passionate fans. The event was also attended by super anime fans, Tiger Shroff and Rashmika Mandanna, who shared their love for anime with fellow fans at the event.
A roundup of the evening’s breaking news during Purini’s remarks:
- Expansion of content library: Crunchyroll announced that it would add 40 new series and 200 hours of content by the end of 2023, many of which will be available in Hindi. These series would join fan-favorites Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Naruto Shippuden, and My Hero Academia already on the platform.
- Hindi dub for Chainsaw Man: Crunchyroll is making Hindi dubs of the popular Chainsaw Man available on 29 July. Chainsaw Man is the hit dark fantasy anime series based on the widely popular and award-winning manga of the same name written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto (Fire Punch; Look Back; Goodbye, Eri) and serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump. The Hindi dub cast list can be found below.
- JUJUTSU KAISEN will premiere season one dubbed in both Hindi and Tamil beginning 28 July, with three episodes airing every week. Dubbed episodes of JUJUTSU KAISEN season 2 will begin airing in the fall, but fans can catch new episodes subtitled in English streaming now on Crunchyroll.
- Telugu and Tamil Dubs: Finally, Crunchyroll will be introducing dubs in Tamil and Telugu by the end of the year, responding to the diverse linguistic preferences of Indian anime fans
Over the last year, Crunchyroll has reaffirmed its commitment to India, by reducing subscription fees and making payments available in local currency, adding more library hours and series, making Hindi dubs available (in India and worldwide), attending India Comic Cons and more.
Crunchyroll president Rahul Purini, “India is a special place for Crunchyroll. It has the second largest anime fandom on the planet and will drive 60 per cent of the global growth in anime interest in the next few years.We see first hand how much love there is for anime here, which is why we have been expanding our content catalog. We now have over 500 titles, 3800 hours of content and 7500 episodes – making us the largest anime catalog in India. AND: We’re adding nearly 40 new series and nearly 200 hours of content by the end of 2023”.
iWorld
Micro-Dramas Surge in India, Redefining Mobile Content Habits
Meta-Ormax study maps rapid rise of short-form storytelling among 18–44 audiences.
MUMBAI: Micro-dramas aren’t just short, they’re the snack that ate Indian entertainment, and now everyone’s bingeing between the sofa cushions. Meta, in partnership with Ormax Media, has released ‘Micro Dramas: The India Story’, a comprehensive study unveiled at the inaugural Meta Marketing Summit: Micro-Drama Edition. The report maps how the vertical, bite-sized format is reshaping content consumption for mobile-first audiences aged 18–44 across 14 states.
Conducted between November 2025 and January 2026 through 50 in-depth interviews and 2,000 personal surveys, the research reveals that 65 per cent of viewers discovered micro-dramas within the last year proof of explosive adoption. Nearly 89 per cent encounter the format through social feeds and recommendations, making algorithm-driven discovery the primary engine rather than active search.
Key viewing patterns show a median of 3.5 hours per week (about 30 minutes daily) spread across 7–8 short sessions. Consumption peaks between 8 pm and midnight, with additional spikes during commutes and work breaks classic “in-between moments” that the format fills perfectly. Around 57 per cent of viewing happens in ambient mode (while doing something else), and 90 per cent is solo, enabling more intimate, personal storytelling.
Romance, family drama and comedy lead genre preferences. Audiences show growing openness to AI-generated content, 47 per cent find it unique and creative, while only 6 per cent say they would avoid it entirely. Regional languages are surging after Hindi and English, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada dominate consumption.
Meta, director, media & entertainment (India) Shweta Bajpai said, “Micro-drama isn’t a passing trend, it’s rewriting the rules of Indian entertainment. In under a year, an entirely new category of platforms has emerged, built audience habits from scratch, and created a business vertical that is scaling fast.”
Ormax Media founder-CEO Shailesh Kapoor added, “Micro-dramas are beginning to show the early signs of becoming a distinct content category in India’s digital entertainment landscape. When a format aligns closely with how audiences naturally engage with their devices, it has the potential to scale very quickly.”
The study proposes ecosystem-wide responsibility, universal signposting of commercial intent, shared accountability among advertisers, platforms, creators, schools and parents, built-in safeguards, and formal media literacy in schools.
In a feed that never sleeps and a day that never stops, micro-dramas have slipped into the cracks of every spare minute turning 30-second stories into the new national pastime, one vertical swipe at a time.
