iWorld
Shemaroo launches Hindu devotional app ‘HariOm’
MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment Limited has launched a Hindu devotional app ‘HariOm’ with a variety of features. The HariOm app is a much-needed digital alternative to connect people with their faith and engage with their community.
Apart from access to well curated devotional music and video content, the app enables consumers to book a host of religious services. Whether it is a Ganesha pooja before the commencement of something new, Satyanarayan pooja for familial harmony or a Mahamrityunjaya Jaap, all require elaborate preparations.
Another unique offering is that it facilitates delivery of prasad at your doorstep from temples across the length and breadth of the country. Additionally, consumers can view live telecast of aartis through the day from the most revered shrines like Mahalakshmi temple in Mumbai and Karnimata in Bikaner, get access to the discourse from top spiritual gurus like Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Shree Shree Ravi Shankar, Brahma Kumari, etc.
Commenting on the launch, Shemaroo Entertainment Limited director Hiren Gada shared, ”Our endeavour from the past two years has been to create services and properties that reflect the passion of the emergent digital audience. HariOm as the name signifies is an app catering to the Hindu faith which promises to give an authentic devotional experience almost close to what one would experience at a temple, in the confines of your house or on the go. We at Shemaroo also own one of the largest library of devotional and spiritual content and would hence power the audio and video content on the app. However, its most compelling feature is the delivery of prasad from the most popular shrines to people’s doorsteps. This all inclusive app will not just help consumers discover religious and spiritual content of their choice but also offer a whole host of services in perfect synchrony to their needs.”
Devotional content is one of the most popular categories of content in India and Shemaroo Entertainment is one of the biggest aggregators and distributors of it. With its rich and diverse devotional catalogue, Shemaroo is present on YouTube, key DTH channels and OTT players.
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.
