iWorld
GAIL launches ‘Hawa Badle Hassu’ an Environmental Sci–Fi webseries on SonyLiv
Mumbai: As a part of its ‘Hawa Badlo’ initiative, GAIL (India) Limited launches the much awaited web series “Hawa Badle Hassu”. The one of its kind campaign keeps growing with each leg and this time around the company has embarked upon a unique and ambitious approach of a full season of a web series. The series is heavily hinged on entertainment conspicuously conveying the messages that company stands for- crusade against air pollution and environment conservation.
Hawa Badle Hassu is an Environmental Sci-Fi thriller web series with a total of forty minute run time broken into 4 episodes. Each episode tackles crucial spaces and aspects pertaining to Environment (pollution). The first episode focuses on ‘Home Environment’ and as the story progresses it moves to cover topics like ‘Education and career building options around environment’, ‘Outdoor Environment’ and finally escalates to ‘Global Environment’. Actors from mainstream Hindi cinema have been cast for all key roles with Chandan Roy Sanyal essaying the lead and titular role of “Hassu”. Sanyal is joined by Smita Tambe, Vikram Kochar and Hollywood actor Zachary Coffin in meaty roles.
Speaking on the web series, Mr. R.K Singhal, Executive Director (Marketing-Shipping & Int. LNG& CC) stated, “As GAIL India’s Hawa Badlo campaign keeps growing and we keep getting more ambitious. Right from the outset it has garnered positive response and we have been able to make the right impact. This time around we wanted to see a culmination of what we started three years back. Its 40 minute of engaging content and Hassu keeps you hooked on. Hawa Badle Hassu is path breaking and out of the box thinking at its best. No better medium than entertainment to convey an important message.”
He added, “The best part about this series is that at no point it gets preachy which is why you would want to go through it, grasp and retain the messaging. Also if you have been tracking the Hawa Badlo campaigns you would notice that we come up with something unique each time. It was a short video in its first leg and then we came up with a music video as HawaBadlo Anthem but each time impactful story telling has been with our core messaging has been top priority”.
The series is co- written & produced by Protiqe Mojoomdar (Handyyman) who has been associated with the Hawa Badlo Campaign earlier as well. Hawa Badle Hassu is directed by duo- Shaptaraj- Shiva and it is launched on leading OTT platform SonyLiv. The series comes close on the heels of World Environment day.
GAIL (India) Limited has been creating awareness and inducing behavioral changes to ensure a greener and cleaner tomorrow through its movement – Hawa Badlo. This movement has been actively working towards educating the Indian masses against air pollution through events, short films, contests, raahgiri, pledges etc on advocacy against air pollution, problems caused due to air pollution & solutions for curbing it. For the last three years Hawa Badlo movement has been able to mobilize collective societal efforts for improving the deteriorating air quality in India. GAIL (India) Ltd has been extending full support to Hawa Badlo and the movement has been successful in reaching out to more than 6 Crore Indians. Videos and short films made under this initiative have been appreciated by other countries as well.
Hawa Badlo encourages sustainable and environment friendly lifestyle habits such as planting trees, cycling & walking, carpooling, using public transport, conserving energy and using cleaner energy sources like Natural Gas for industries, CNG for automobiles &PNG for commercial uses. It produced significant content like Hawa Badlo Anthem- #BringBackTheBlueSkies featuring leading web series actor Amol Parashar and sung by celebrated playback singers like Javed Ali & Harshdeep Kaur. Hawa Badle Hassu is now available for public viewing on SonyLiv app.
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.
