iWorld
Popular web series – Hello returns with Season 3 on popular demand
MUMBAI: Rejoice hoichoi fans! One of their top Original shows – Hello, starring eminent actors Raima Sen, Priyanka Sarkar and Joy Sengupta in lead roles will be returning with its 3rd season sooner than fans expected.
The first season of Hello started streaming in September 2017, and it was hoichoi’s first Original content to start streaming on the app and website. After continuous requests from fans for the next season, hoichoi lavishly announced on their first birthday on 20th September 2018 that they will be renewing the Hello for a 2nd season, which will start streaming around end of December.
With tons of anticipation and presumption, fans waited eagerly to see how season 2 will progress. Judging from the immense positive response which poured in, hoichoi can humbly retort that they were not disappointed. However, the audience worried that they would again have to wait for another year to be treated to this drama-thriller. hoichoi decided to break all shackles and proclaim their return with the season 3 of Hello as soon as Puja 2019!
Co-Founder of hoichoi & SVF, Mahendra Soni stated “As storytellers, creators and distributors of the best of Bengali entertainment content, our primary mission of hoichoi is to provide quality content. Hello is one of our best Originals which is also an audience favourite. Even though we wish to experiment and want to churn out new kind of shows and films for the customers to consume, the continuation of a classic-drama story which resonated to them, has to be replenished.”
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.
