iWorld
discovery+ fortifies its India play with star-studded originals
Mumbai: discovery+ has announced a slate of brand-new originals along with the return of its successful franchises ‘Star VS Food’ and ‘Mission Frontline’. The originals line-up includes ‘Say Yes to the Dress’, and ‘Money Mafia’.
Produced by ABP Studios, ‘Say Yes to the Dress’ is an Indian adaptation of one of the biggest American reality television series, giving Indian brides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as they search for their perfect wedding dress. Launching on 4 August, ‘Money Mafia’ takes an in-depth look at some of the biggest financial scams the country has ever seen from the perspective of the victims and the perpetrators. The show is produced by Chandra Talkies.
‘Star vs Food S2’ is produced in collaboration with Korea Tourism. It will feature popular celebs Ananya Panday, Anil Kapoor, Nora Fatehi, and Badshah trying to impress their family and friends with their cooking skills. Sara Ali Khan will be seen in the second season of ‘Mission Frontline’ returning in August.
“Our upcoming content slate demonstrates our constant determination of bringing original, full of life, bold and unexpected stories to our audience. By on-boarding personalities from different walks of life like Sports, Bollywood, music, and comedy among others, we have made a conscious effort at expanding our reach and engaging with a new set of audience,” said Discovery Inc, managing director – South Asia, Megha Tata. “We aim at using our platform as a medium to connect people through the art of storytelling and the line-up ranging from documentary to reality TV has something for every generation to enjoy, further strengthening our Family, Facts and Fun premise.”
Talking about his experience of being on the show, actor Anil Kapoor shared, “Despite my undeniable love for food, it is no secret that my expertise lies at eating and not cooking. Being blessed with excellent culinary artists in my home and family, I have never had to enter the kitchen to prepare a meal for myself. Star vs Food S2 set me up against the challenge of cooking a scrumptious meal for my loved ones and I must say, this was a much more daunting task than acting. Undoubtedly, it has been an exhilarating experience and I can’t wait to make my family proud with this new notch in my belt.”
“The announcement of a season 2 within a six-month span of the first season is a testament to the success of season one. We look forward to yet another delectable season full of fun, flavour and food,” Endemol Shine India CEO Abhishek Rege added.
BanijayAsia Founder & CEO, Deepak Dhar said, “Content consumption patterns have changed drastically in the last 2 years. People are consuming content faster and need more if they like a certain genre. With a plethora of content available to view on OTT platforms, it is immensely challenging, yet potentially lucrative for us to create stories that resonate with the audience. Our partnership with discovery+ gives us the freedom to work on different concepts as the brand is not limited to one genre. With our next special Mission Frontline with Sara Ali Khan, we have taken our relationship with Discovery to the next level after Into The Wild with Bear Grylls. We are confident that this show will deliver a special message we want to convey to our target audience and inspire them.”
discovery+ has also put together a specially curated watchlist including ‘Special Operations: India’, ‘Little Singham Desh ka Sipahi Blockbuster’, ‘India: 70 Wonders’, ‘India Marvels and Mysteries’, and more to commemorate the Independence month. Viewers will also have access to titles such as ‘Surviving R. Kelly’, ‘Could I Live There’, ‘MasterChef Canada’, and ‘Matilda & The Ramsay Bunch’.
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.
