iWorld
Discovery+ launches new original ‘Gaganyaan: Bharat ki Antariksh Udaan’
Mumbai: ISRO prepares for Mission Gaganyaan, India’s voyage of this astronomical achievement that will be showcased in Discovery+’s newest original – “Gaganyaan – Bharat ki Antariksh Udaan.”
India etches its place in the highest echelons of human history, as ISRO prepares to send Indian astronauts into space aboard the first self-manufactured space rocket. With a pedigree of featuring successful and immensely popular cosmological titles like – ‘India’s Space Odyssey,’ ‘How The Universe Works,’ ‘Morgan Freeman’s Through The Wormhole,’ ‘Space Titans: Musk, Bezos, Branson’ and many more, discovery+ will exclusively premiere the new original on 18 May.
As the clock counts down to “Mission Gaganyaan,” the documentary will feature three eminent astronauts namely, Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to go into space, the elite record-holding woman astronaut of NASA – Sunita Williams, and Russian Cosmonaut – Oleg Kotov. Along with them, various experts namely, Dr G Madhavan Nair (former chairman, ISRO); Air Cdre (Rtd) Ravish Malhotra (former test pilot, IAF); Asif Siddiqi (space historian); Dr Brigitte Godard (flight surgeon, European astronaut centre); and other distinguished professionals will be lending their expertise on the subject.
Produced by Miditech Studios, “Gaganyaan – Bharat ki Antariksh Udaan” charts the audacious and challenging journey of India’s human space flight programme, from developing the country’s state of the art cryogenic engine, testing of flights, rigorous astronaut training to the final preparations and anticipation before its launch in 2023. Supporting with archival footage, modern graphical representations of the complex processes and tremendous dangers of human space flight, this fascinating original will also recap the ground-breaking engineering that enabled India to successfully test the crew capsule launch & re-entry in 2014.
Warner Bros Discover original content head- South India Sai Abishek said, “With rapid developments in space exploration, we are excited to present an inspiring documentary for our superfans of science and space programming which highlights the daunting journey undertaken by some of India’s brightest minds and space scientists. Through this special title, our objective is to celebrate and showcase the unique viewpoint to the progress India has made so far, in their endeavor of sending Indian astronauts into space and ensuring their safe return home on a made-in-India space shuttle.” He further added, “We are proud to be the first OTT platform to bring to our audience this historical journey which will put India on the world stage with other space faring nations.”
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.
