iWorld
Disney+ Hotstar announces three Indian shows for Disney fan event-D23 Expo
Mumbai: Disney+ Hotstar today announced three Indian titles at the global Disney fan event D23 Expo. The new lineup includes the talk show Koffee with Karan (Season 8), along with Showtime and Mahabharata. On September 9-11, D23 Expo will be held at the Anaheim Convention Centre in Anaheim, California.
This announcement further strengthens the platform’s collaboration with ace Bollywood producer, director, actor, and host Karan Johar (Koffee with Karan and Showtime), and mints a new association with maverick producer Madhu Mantena, Mythoversestudios, and Allu Entertainment (Mahabharata).
Koffee with Karan (Season 8) is produced by Karan Johar, Apporva Mehta and Aneesha Baig, Dharmatic Entertainment Production and Showtime is produced by Karan Johar, Apporva Mehta and Somen Mishra, A Dharmatic Entertainment Production.
Disney Star head – content, Disney+ Hotstar & HSM Entertainment Network Gaurav Banerjee joined a panel on international content along with The Walt Disney Company chairman-international content and operations Rebecca Campbell, LATAM SVP, media distribution & production Fernando Barbosa, APAC head of content & development Jessica Kam-Engle, and EMEA director of scripted content Lee Mason. The discussion focused on eclectic global content trends, particularly highlighting Disney+ Hotstar’s role in shaping content in India and beyond.
Sharing his views on the upcoming Indian lineup, Banerjee said, “Over the last several years, India has emerged as a content powerhouse, pushing the envelope with stories that transcend language and cultural boundaries. For a nation at the centre of the OTT revolution, Disney+ Hotstar’s pioneering stories have been dominating viewers’ preferred content library. We couldn’t have asked for a more profound curtain raiser on our upcoming lineup at a globally coveted platform such as D23 Expo 2022, where we have an opportunity to share a glimpse of soon to be launched shows Showtime, Mahabharata, and Koffee with Karan Season 8.”
Producer, director, and host Karan Johar added, “I am excited to associate with Disney+ Hotstar for our new collaboration, announced at the prestigious D23 Expo. In addition to yet another exciting season of my beloved show, Koffee With Karan (Season 8), I am happy to announce an all-new Dharma Production series, Showtime, which will lift the curtain on India’s entertainment industry’s biggest trade secrets.”
Producer Madhu Mantena said, “For centuries, Indian epics have captured the imagination of billions around the world. These epics are deeply woven into the very fabric of our nation. The Mahabharata is one of the oldest epics in India and, despite being as old as time, is still relevant today for the many lessons and words of wisdom hidden within its ancient verses. It is said that every known emotional conflict experienced by mankind finds form in the Mahabharata through its complex characters and storylines. We at Mythoverse are absolutely delighted to have this opportunity provided by Disney+ Hotstar to bring out a rendition of this great Indian epic, Mahabharata, and to announce this news on a prestigious global platform at the D23 Expo.”
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.
