MAM
“Just Human Things” & Qyuki launch ‘Minus One’; A quirky story that humanizes your ex
MUMBAI: ‘Minus One’ is a quirky web series co-produced by Writeous Studios & Qyuki Digital, powered by POPxo, featuring Ayush Mehra and Aisha Ahmed. The story revolves around Riya (Aisha) and Varun (Ayush) who live-in together after a break-up and create a life that is perfect for them but difficult for the world to accept. Directed by Shubham Yogi along with creator Sidhanta Mathur and writer Aakash Bhojwani, Minus One aims to capture the hearts of everyone.
The six-episode series that is approximately 15 minutes each is unique in its treatment while encapsulating the emotions involved with relationships between exes and how it affects people in their circle. The series premiered on the Just Human Things, a YouTube channel that presents content as a showcase of optimism at its finest and promulgates the belief that life isn’t so bad after all!
Talking about the experience Ayush Mehra Shares, “Minus one was to date the best experience of my life! I absolutely loved working with the director Shubham Yogi and producer Sidhanta Mathur who went out of their way to make each moment feel special. My co-star Aisha is a gem to work with and I could not have asked for a better opportunity to showcase my talent. Thanks to Just Human Things and Qyuki, I feel like I have a found a tribe that I will be associated with, for life”
Speaking about the series Aisha Ahmed Shares, “Minus one has been the warmest set experience, to come together and create something with love and happiness. I hope that everyone will love it as much as we do!”
Talking about creating this quirky web series Sidhanta Mathur Creator & Producer of Minus One says, “To tell a story about exes who live together was never the point, their friendship was. And that’s the optimism of it and this is the kind of story we want to tell on Just Human Things with a fresh and unique take. Being my first under my company’s banner, putting it all together was one of the most exciting but nerve-wracking experiences. Qyuki came on board as a co-producer and from there, things kicked off amazingly. We got a brilliant cast and crew who all came together because they really loved the idea of the show! We truly worked together as a family to make sure we create a series that stands out and we are thrilled that our viewers have given it so much love”.
Speaking about his directorial experience Shubham Yogi Creator & Director of Minus One says, “Minus Ones is what my friends called me and my ex-girlfriend turned flatmate. Although we never saw ourselves as revolutionaries, everyone who met us during those years definitely thought us odd. Sometimes people judged us, and sometimes they reflected on their relationships with their exes. Out of these experiences came the idea for Minus One. And Sid was one of the first people to hear it. From that short discussion 3 years, Sid and I always knew that we would try and bring this story to life someday. Aisha & Ayush took to the characters with ease, and soon into the shooting schedule, I found them improvising to better our vision. From Sid's belief in the idea to the entire production crew coming together and giving it life, this has been a blessed journey.”
MAM
Microdrama Specialist COL Group International Builds Out With Narativ, Rock Networks & BlingWood Deals
MUMBAI: Microdrama powerhouse COL Group International is building out its distribution network, with its CEO saying vertical video is about to enter its “next competitive chapter.”
The microdrama arm of publicly-listed Chinese company COL Group appointed Narativ Media as its official distributor in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and CIS regions and Africa, and a struck new content deal with a new Dubai-based microdrama platform.
The deals were unveiled this morning at MIP London, and also included Rock Networks as its exclusive Southeast Asia telco distribution partner for its app, FlareFlow. MIP London is now into its second day at the Savoy Hotel and adjoining IET London complex.
The deals come soon after COL appointed Harbour Rights to represent its titles in Europe and Latin America, as we reported yesterday in our extended feature on microdrama distribution.
COL’s Singapore-based microdrama unit says its “coordinated global distribution architecture and significantly expanded international content slate” would help to scale its catalogue to more than 1,700 microdrama titles worldwide. These hail from South Korea, Japan, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the UK and roll out across Sereal+, FlareFlow and 17K.
A deal with Dubai-based BlingWood, which recently launched as an OTT platform, will expand COL’s access to Middle Eastern and Indian microdramas, and includes a broader pipeline of Indian series from storytelling platform Pratilipi, Korean titles from BeLive Studios and British reality-led formats from Tattle TV — the UK’s first dedicated microdrama app, including titles such as Dog Dates.
“Microdrama is entering its next competitive chapter, where quality, retention and monetization standards are increasingly shaped by data and operational discipline,” said Timothy Oh, General Manager of COL Group International.
“As pioneers in both China and the U.S., scaling some of the world’s leading platforms in this space, we understand what it truly takes to win sustainably. Our role is not simply to offer catalogue volume, but to help partners select, position and scale the right content for their platform and audience. By bringing together a broad, constantly refreshed slate from across regions, we enable smarter curation, clearer differentiation and long-term growth for serious industry players.”
Narativ deal
COL and UAE-based Narativ described their deal as a “strategic expansion of premium vertical content distribution across high-growth emerging markets,” and comes as the microdrama continues to boom financially. The growth of the medium will be among the key topics of conversation today at MIP London, where COL chief Oh will be speaking.
The pact extends beyond content representation and is being billed as part of a more “structured micro-drama distribution infrastructure.”
Narativ will spearhead market development, platform alliances, broadcaster relationships and digital monetization frameworks across the MENA and CIS regions and Africa, where they have identified “rapid mobile-first consumption growth and strong demand for short-form, high-engagement storytelling formats.”
“Micro-dramas are reshaping global viewing habits, particularly across mobile-first markets like MENA, Africa and CIS,” said Manjyot Sandhu, CEO and co-founder of Narativ. “Our appointment as official distributor for COL Group in these territories reflects Narativ’s strategy to build sustainable distribution architecture.
“A key pillar of the collaboration includes integration with FlareFlow, enabling strategic telco partnerships, bundled carrier offerings, and alternative monetization pathways designed to accelerate scale across mobile ecosystems and OTT platforms.”
Oh added: “We are building more than a content slate – we are building the global infrastructure for microdrama. With hundreds of new titles launching every quarter, scale and regional strength are critical. Narativ with its deep foothold in MENA, Africa CIS and other key markets makes them a natural strategic partner as we expand FlareFlow and bring microdrama to new platforms, telcos and audiences.
Narativ, which is joint venture Sandhu operates with Copyright Capital, manages around 7,000 hours of content and has a digital network spanning 150 million subscribers across 21 language.
COL Group has emerged as one of the biggest microdrama platforms, running platforms such as FlareFow. It is also a part-owner of ReelShort.
