iWorld
BSNL dials up drama with OTTplay packs and 300 plus live TV channels
MUMBAI: BSNL is turning up the volume on entertainment. After January’s free BiTV rollout drew in massive traffic and fuelled a surge in demand for premium content, the state-run telco has now unveiled its Premium Content Packs, bringing OTTplay-powered streaming and 300 plus live TV channels straight to mobile users. The new packs, accessible via the BSNL Self Care App, Gpay, Phonepe and more, promise an all-in-one destination for films, shows, sports, news and regional gems. Robert J Ravi, chairman and managing director, BSNL, called it an “unmatched entertainment destination,” adding that the offering blends connectivity with curated OTT content.
For BSNL director Sandeep Govil the move is as much about convenience as it is about content: “From flexible payment options to seamless access, we’ve made sure even the remotest corner of India can enjoy world-class content without barriers.”
OTTplay’s co-founder and CEO Avinash Mudaliar, highlighted the scale of the collaboration, noting that with BSNL’s reach across Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, millions of new viewers will gain access to premium streaming. “Together, we are not only offering great content but also bridging the digital divide,” he said.
With 300 plus live channels, dozens of leading OTT platforms, and AI-powered content discovery, BSNL’s packs are designed to compete with the biggest players in streaming. If BiTV was the starter, this new chapter is the full-course binge.
iWorld
Micro-Dramas Surge in India, Redefining Mobile Content Habits
Meta-Ormax study maps rapid rise of short-form storytelling among 18–44 audiences.
MUMBAI: Micro-dramas aren’t just short, they’re the snack that ate Indian entertainment, and now everyone’s bingeing between the sofa cushions. Meta, in partnership with Ormax Media, has released ‘Micro Dramas: The India Story’, a comprehensive study unveiled at the inaugural Meta Marketing Summit: Micro-Drama Edition. The report maps how the vertical, bite-sized format is reshaping content consumption for mobile-first audiences aged 18–44 across 14 states.
Conducted between November 2025 and January 2026 through 50 in-depth interviews and 2,000 personal surveys, the research reveals that 65 per cent of viewers discovered micro-dramas within the last year proof of explosive adoption. Nearly 89 per cent encounter the format through social feeds and recommendations, making algorithm-driven discovery the primary engine rather than active search.
Key viewing patterns show a median of 3.5 hours per week (about 30 minutes daily) spread across 7–8 short sessions. Consumption peaks between 8 pm and midnight, with additional spikes during commutes and work breaks classic “in-between moments” that the format fills perfectly. Around 57 per cent of viewing happens in ambient mode (while doing something else), and 90 per cent is solo, enabling more intimate, personal storytelling.
Romance, family drama and comedy lead genre preferences. Audiences show growing openness to AI-generated content, 47 per cent find it unique and creative, while only 6 per cent say they would avoid it entirely. Regional languages are surging after Hindi and English, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada dominate consumption.
Meta, director, media & entertainment (India) Shweta Bajpai said, “Micro-drama isn’t a passing trend, it’s rewriting the rules of Indian entertainment. In under a year, an entirely new category of platforms has emerged, built audience habits from scratch, and created a business vertical that is scaling fast.”
Ormax Media founder-CEO Shailesh Kapoor added, “Micro-dramas are beginning to show the early signs of becoming a distinct content category in India’s digital entertainment landscape. When a format aligns closely with how audiences naturally engage with their devices, it has the potential to scale very quickly.”
The study proposes ecosystem-wide responsibility, universal signposting of commercial intent, shared accountability among advertisers, platforms, creators, schools and parents, built-in safeguards, and formal media literacy in schools.
In a feed that never sleeps and a day that never stops, micro-dramas have slipped into the cracks of every spare minute turning 30-second stories into the new national pastime, one vertical swipe at a time.
