iWorld
Eros Now’s Comedy Series Side Hero bags ‘Best Web Series’ award from The Digital Hash
MUMBAI: Eros Now, leading over-the-top (OTT) South Asian entertainment platform owned by Eros International Plc, a leading global company in the Indian film entertainment, wins the ‘Best Web Series’ award for their first original web series – Side Hero by The Digital Hash, a digital portal exclusively covering Web Entertainment. The comedy series added another feather to its cap with lead actor Kunaal Roy Kapur bagging the ‘Best Actor’ award for his performance in the web-series.
The Digital Hash recognizes superlative web content every month under their property “Streaming Awards” which honours the best talent in the realm of digital entertainment. The eight episodes series that released in September garnered much praise for its humorous take on Kunaal’s life, juggling between the endeavour to get a lead role but always ending up being the ‘Side Hero’. Side Hero has enjoyed tremendous popularity with a rating of 8.6 (on IMDB) as well as the number one position on Top Hindi Movies and Shows section within a week of its release on IMDB over others like the recently released movies during the same period such as Sui Dhaaga.
Commenting on the award for the web series, Ridhima Lulla, Chief Content Officer, Eros Group said, “It is a great honour to be recognized for our very first original web series and I am grateful to The Digital Hash and the audience for appreciating our work. Comedy is one of the most watched genres across formats and we are happy our fresh take on humour has been loved by audiences. We are now looking forward to the launch of Season 2 of the series.”
iWorld
JioHotstar enters micro-drama space with 100 shows under Tadka banner
Short-form push targets 300M users as content meets commerce in new format
MUMBAI: JioStar has made a bold play in India’s fast-growing micro-drama space, rolling out over 100 short-form shows under its new Tadka banner on JioHotstar, timed with the massive viewership surge of the Indian Premier League 2026.
The scale of the launch signals clear intent. Rather than testing the waters, the company has dived in headfirst, releasing a wide slate of content on day one. Each show is designed for quick consumption, with episodes running 60 to 90 seconds in a vertical format tailored for mobile-first audiences.
The move comes as India’s micro-drama market, currently valued at around $300 million, is projected to grow tenfold to over $3 billion by 2030. Globally, the format has already proven its mettle, with China’s micro-drama sector recording explosive growth in recent years.
What sets this rollout apart is its built-in monetisation strategy. The shows are free to watch and ad-supported, with brand integrations woven directly into storylines from the outset. It reflects a broader shift where content and commerce are increasingly intertwined, rather than operating in silos.
The timing is equally strategic. With more than 300 million users already tuning in for IPL action, JioHotstar is effectively turning cricket’s biggest stage into a discovery engine for its new format.
The company is not entering an empty arena. Early movers like Kuku TV, MX Player and platforms backed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises have already laid the groundwork, building audiences and validating demand for snackable storytelling.
Now, with scale, distribution and advertiser interest aligning, the big players are stepping in. For JioStar, Tadka may well serve as a proving ground for the next evolution of digital entertainment, where every minute counts and every second sells.
If the bet pays off, India’s next big content wave might just arrive in under 90 seconds.
