iWorld
Dream11’s new campaign for T20 World Cup urges fans to #DreamBig
Mumbai: Fantasy sports platform Dream11 has unveiled its new brand campaign #DreamBig for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021. Conceptualised and executed by Tilt Brand Solutions and Rehab Films, the campaign films bring to life inspiring, real-life stories of Indian cricketers and Dream11 brand ambassadors Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shikhar Dhawan.
The brand has launched the campaign with the return of the T20 showpiece where passions run high and some players realise life-long dreams, not just theirs but also of their family, coaches, and teammates.
“Sport has always thrown up stories that drive fans to be inspired and achieve their own potential. We would like to encourage fans to strengthen their self-belief and go after their dreams, not just in sport but in any vocation they pursue,” said Dream11 chief marketing officer Vikrant Mudaliar.
“#DreamBig celebrates this sentiment through the stories of the extraordinary people who had the tenacity and were relentless in the pursuit of fulfilling their dreams. This also resonates with us at Dream11, where dreaming big was a huge part of our journey — going from being a start-up to becoming the world’s largest fantasy sports platform with over 110 million users,” he added.
The first film featuring Rohit Sharma leans on the origins of the cricketer’s ‘45’ numbered jersey, which, as we learn, is a lucky charm bestowed upon him by his mother.
The second film with Rishabh Pant showcases the classic sports hero worship story of idolising a star and eventually rubbing shoulders with him on the same pedestal, the hero, in this case, being MS Dhoni, who was Pant’s idol and inspiration, well before anyone knew about the budding player or his talent.
Hardik Pandya’s film portrays a story of humble beginnings. Pandya knew his chances were bleak but his sheer drive enabled him to Dream Big and achieve stardom from a near-impossible position.
The fourth film on Jasprit Bumrah’s journey showcases the results of channeling raw talent and watching the results unfold. Long before breaking records for India, the young lad was infamous for breaking many objects in his house and locality.
The fifth film featuring Shikhar Dhawan throws light on how elite sports is not about equals or competing at a level playing field.
The campaign films are now live across multiple platforms including TV and digital.
As the official fantasy sports partner of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, Dream11 will provide opportunities to millions of Indians to put their cricket knowledge and skills to test, and engage closely with the matches, said the brand.
The T20 tournament features the world’s top-16 teams including India, England, Australia, West Indies, South Africa, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Bangladesh among others.
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.
