iWorld
Dish TV’s Watcho surpasses 25 mn subscribers
KOLKATA: Dish TV India’s OTT Watcho has surpassed 25 million subscribers, a new milestone for the platform that provides snackable and on-the-go entertainment.
Watcho has brought a unique assortment of delectable content such as Sarhad, The Jail Plan, Jaalsaazi, 4 Thieves, Love Crisis and Ardhsatya. The platform boasts of 50 original web-shows, 115 Live TV channels and 800+ hours of engaging content across diverse genres. Furthermore, with the launch of original shows across different languages like Hindi, Kannada and Telugu and original influencer shows such as Look I Can Cook, Bikhare Hain Alfaaz, etc, viewers across the country and across segments can enjoy their favorite content.
Dish TV India executive director & group CEO Anil Dua said, “We are elated to achieve this 25 million milestone and are proud of having created a strong resonance with our viewers in such a short span of time. At Dish TV India, it has always been our endeavor to meet the entertainment needs of all our subscribers all the time. Watcho, is a step in this direction that delivers a seamless streaming entertainment experience to our subscribers through its advanced technology and diverse content. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our subscribers for loving our platform and congratulate our young Watcho team for having created this bond with them.”
Watcho not only has this unique content on its platform but also provides several engagement properties. It recently rolled out Watcho Aur Jeeto to give users an opportunity to engage with the platform daily. It has also launched Watcho Swag that lets users showcase their talent on the platform.
DishTV & Watcho, Dish TV India marketing corporate head Sukhpreet Singh added, “Watcho has been growing consistently since its launch. What sets us apart is the fact that Watcho has always aimed at delivering a versatile content portfolio to its subscribers. We are confident that our subscribers are in for a thrilling ride as we continue to introduce interesting snackable content and an integrated content viewing experience across screens.”
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.
