iWorld
Drama draws the crowd as Zee5 hits 105 billion streaming minutes in FY25
MUMBAI: If content is king, then drama is the undisputed emperor of India’s OTT court. Zee5 has revealed its FY25 viewership numbers, clocking a colossal 105 billion minutes of watch time, with audiences binging on high-stakes drama and high-definition screens.
Drama ruled the charts, pulling in over 40 billion minutes alone, proving that when it comes to streaming, heightened emotions and tangled plots still reign supreme. And where are viewers watching? A solid 64 per cent of premium content watch time came from smart TVs, making the living room the new theatre of choice for Indian families.
Leading the charge in high-res viewing, South India accounted for 46 per cent of all 4K consumption. Tamil, Telugu and Kannada titles like Aindham Vedham, Paruvu, Thalaimai Seyalagam, and Vikkatakavi featured in the most-watched lists, while films such as Sankranthiki Vasthunam, Hanu-Man, and Identity dominated screens. Meanwhile, Bengali viewership surged, breaking into the top three languages across Hindi-speaking markets.
Zee5 Originals also had their blockbuster moment. Mrs., starring Sanya Malhotra, shattered records with the platform’s biggest opening weekend ever over 150 million streaming minutes. The socially charged narrative around gender roles and individual agency resonated across metros and smaller towns alike.
Hindi thriller Gyaarah Gyaarah led as the most-watched web series pan-India except in the South, where homegrown dramas continued to take the spotlight. Bingeing peaked between 5 pm and 11 pm, with half of total prime-time viewing happening post 7 pm.
The report also flagged a doubling of 4K pack adoption in FY26, a clear marker of India’s pivot towards quality-led viewing. With regional storytelling, multi-language packs and big-ticket dramas leading engagement, Zee5’s language-first strategy is paying off delivering not just what India wants to watch, but exactly how and why they want to watch it.
iWorld
JioHotstar enters micro-drama space with 100 shows under Tadka banner
Short-form push targets 300M users as content meets commerce in new format
MUMBAI: JioStar has made a bold play in India’s fast-growing micro-drama space, rolling out over 100 short-form shows under its new Tadka banner on JioHotstar, timed with the massive viewership surge of the Indian Premier League 2026.
The scale of the launch signals clear intent. Rather than testing the waters, the company has dived in headfirst, releasing a wide slate of content on day one. Each show is designed for quick consumption, with episodes running 60 to 90 seconds in a vertical format tailored for mobile-first audiences.
The move comes as India’s micro-drama market, currently valued at around $300 million, is projected to grow tenfold to over $3 billion by 2030. Globally, the format has already proven its mettle, with China’s micro-drama sector recording explosive growth in recent years.
What sets this rollout apart is its built-in monetisation strategy. The shows are free to watch and ad-supported, with brand integrations woven directly into storylines from the outset. It reflects a broader shift where content and commerce are increasingly intertwined, rather than operating in silos.
The timing is equally strategic. With more than 300 million users already tuning in for IPL action, JioHotstar is effectively turning cricket’s biggest stage into a discovery engine for its new format.
The company is not entering an empty arena. Early movers like Kuku TV, MX Player and platforms backed by Zee Entertainment Enterprises have already laid the groundwork, building audiences and validating demand for snackable storytelling.
Now, with scale, distribution and advertiser interest aligning, the big players are stepping in. For JioStar, Tadka may well serve as a proving ground for the next evolution of digital entertainment, where every minute counts and every second sells.
If the bet pays off, India’s next big content wave might just arrive in under 90 seconds.
