iWorld
Five films and series to tune into this Ganesh festive season
Mumbai: The festive season is here, a time to embrace the spirit of celebration. Whether it’s visiting pandals, enjoying sweets, or dancing to lively tunes, this is a time for shared joy.
To enhance the festivities, gather your loved ones, grab some treats, and enjoy a selection of entertaining films and series. Here are five movies, web shows, and audio series to keep you engaged during this Ganesh festival.
Shree Ganeshji Ki Janamkatha (Sony LIV)
If you are looking to educate the family’s younger generation on the power and magic of Ganesha, there is no better TV serial than ‘Shree Ganeshji Ki Janmakatha’ to start their learning journey. Entertaining and enlightening in equal parts, the show charts the journey of Ganeshji from his initial days to the enigmatic final form he takes that the whole world worships today. Youngsters will also learn about the strength of Goddess Parvathi and the might of Lord Shiva, the parents of Shree Ganesh through this story.
Yeh Meri Family (Amazon Prime Video)
This simple and adorable show will take you right down memory lane, as it transports us back to the 90’s to tell the tale of a tight-knit middle-class family. Told from the perspective of a confused middle child, ‘Yeh Meri Family’ captures the magic of those ‘good old days’ when landlines still ruled the roost and television sets were big and bulky boxes. Every episode will make you laugh, cry, and fall in love with your loved ones all over again. The perfect festive watch for the entire family!
The Return (Pocket FM)
Six years after an unexpected betrayal, Navya crosses paths with Avinash, the man who unknowingly changed her life forever, bringing with him the promise of a new beginning.
Gharat Ganpati (Amazon Prime Video)
Shot in the majestic Konkan belt, this family drama introduces us to the Gharats, a huge clan spanning across generations. Preparing to welcome the sacred Gauri Ganpati at their ancestral house, ‘Gharat Ganpati’ depicts how age-old traditions bring everyone together, strengthen bonds and clear many generational gaps in the family. Filled with heartwarming scenes and clean comedy, this one is a must-watch to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi.
Abhayrakshak Amrit (Pocket FM)
Sameer is ready to take the poison of death for his brother, but he receives the essence of nectar. What will happen when, in the next life, he has to fight against his own brother and the killers, across the time. Will he be able to use the powers gained from the nectar to stop his brother and the deadly assassins? Or will he fall into the trap set by them?
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.
