iWorld
Shemaroo’s Filmigaane crosses 10 mn subscriber mark
MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment’s YouTube channel dedicated to retro music Filmigaane has crossed the 10 million subscriber mark. The content powerhouse has strengthened its digital presence with more than 50 YouTube channels.
Filmigaane is the one-stop destination for classic bollywood melody lovers. The audience base is spread around multiple geographies like India, the US, UAE, Canada, Australia and more and reaches 384 million digital consumers per month.
“We started Filmigaane with an aim to reach out to audiences who love retro music. This is such a momentous occasion and calls for a big shout out to all our fans across the world who have helped us achieve the remarkable milestone of 10 million subscribers. We are truly humbled and overwhelmed by their support and love. It is their belief in us that will help us continuously strive for new and innovative content. Digital has been an exemplary medium for us to reach out to the fans of retro music and connect with them,” Shemaroo Entertainment CEO Hiren Gada said.
Starting in 2018, the channel has been offering a mix of content ranging from the golden era of 1950s to the still recent popular numbers from the 1990s over the last four years. Filmigaane succeeded in bringing the trends of evergreen songs back, leading to a humungous growth in subscribers.
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iWorld
JioHotstar to launch micro dramas during IPL
Streaming giant plans free, ad-supported bite-sized stories during IPL to engage mobile-first audiences
JioHotstar is gearing up to launch a wave of micro dramas, eyeing India’s fast-growing appetite for bite-sized storytelling and new revenue opportunities. According to sources close to the matter, the streaming platform is expected to go live with the content during the Indian Premier League, which runs from 28 March to 31 May.
The move comes as the micro-drama market in India surges, with Redseer Strategy Consultants projecting the overall interactive media segment could reach $3.1–3.4 billion by FY2030, with micro dramas leading the growth. The format has already proven commercially viable abroad — China’s micro-drama sector generated $360 million in 2023, up 267 per cent year-on-year.
Micro dramas are designed for rapid consumption on mobile devices. Episodes typically run 60–90 seconds, shot in vertical 9:16 format, and rely on fast-paced plots and cliffhangers to keep viewers glued. Stories tend to revolve around high-stakes drama, from romance and revenge to corporate intrigue, blending social-media immediacy with professional production values.
Sources said the IPL provides the perfect launchpad, with millions tuning in to the platform for live cricket, creating a ready audience for short-form narrative experiments. The content will initially be free and accessible to all.
JioHotstar, which already boasts over 300 million subscribers, plans to roll out more than 100 micro dramas across multiple genres and languages, including Hindi and South Indian languages. The move is expected to strengthen its regional content strategy and appeal to mobile-first viewers, particularly in metro and Tier-1 cities where the format is currently most popular.
“The timing is perfect,” said a source close to the project, requesting anonymity. “With micro dramas on the rise, this is a chance for JioHotstar to experiment with new formats and engage audiences in a way traditional series cannot.”
The platform is not the first in India to test the format. ALTBalaji, StoryTV and Zee Bullet have all dabbled in short episodic storytelling. But JioHotstar’s scale — and its ability to pair content with one of the country’s biggest sporting events — could make it a defining moment for micro dramas in India.
With mobile consumption and vernacular content on the rise, the gamble seems clear: capture attention fast, keep it longer, and turn bite-sized narratives into a robust revenue engine.
Note: The cover image used is AI-generated.
