iWorld
Health & beauty YouTube’s fastest growing vertical in 2017 for India
MUMBAI: YouTube remains the top video entertainment hub – with over 225 million Indian smartphone users, using the app every month. India also reached not one, but two major YouTube milestone this year, with 200 channels now crossing the one million subscriber mark and three channels achieving 10 million (ZEE, T-Series and ChuChu TV), earning themselves the coveted Diamond Button this year. This year, the content on YouTube is more diverse than ever before. While music, comedy, food/recipes, education and learning continue to grow, health & beauty emerged as the fastest growing vertical of 2017 with many new subcategories growing, including dance, women lifestyle, village-food, web-series, among others.
During the year 2017, the biggest achievements were that 80 independent creators have crossed the one million subscriber mark. This year, 145 of 200 channels received the gold play button which requires a count of a million. Beauty & health that has been represented by six out of the top 10 rising creators, emerged as the fastest growing vertical. Regional content grew exponentially, with Jimikki Kammal and Zinggat becoming national hits.
We fell in love with a 106-year-old super chef, laughed at the raw humour of our new comedy kings, relived the golden era of Bollywood music through remixes, took the best selfie, learnt the trendiest beauty hacks, watched the most sought-after movie trailers and grooved to Punjabi beats.
2017 also saw some major new records being broken in overall views for movie trailers in India, with Baahubali 2 – The Conclusion, getting over 58 million views, followed by Padmavati with 27 million and Judwa 2 with 23 million. Bollywood music remains the king of the hill, with Badrinath Ki Dulhania bagging the top two spots for its title track with 132 million views and remix of the popular Tamma Tamma Again with 78 million views. Guru Randhawa’s High Rated Gabru is a close third on the most trending music list, with 75 million.
Topping the list of creators in 2017, is comedy superstar BB Ki Vines, with over five million subscribers, followed by Technical Guruji with almost 3.9 million subscribers and Vidya Vox with 3.7 million subscribers. Gaining over 2.5 million subscribers each in 2017 alone, the channels have registered a remarkable growth. Support for local creators continued, with three of this year’s top 10 trending videos (non-music) going to YouTube-specific content creators – BB Ki Vines for Group Study, Amit Bhadana for That Dumb Friend in Every Group and Zakir Khan for Life Main Chahiye Izzat.
Shaping the iconic pop-culture moments of 2017
From the fidget spinner gaining worldwide popularity to Despacito breaking every record; seeing the other side of Irrfan Khan through memes by AIB, to getting the country to dance on Shape of You, which emerged as the most choreographed song in 2017; getting the funny-bone tickled by Angry Baba’s Chacha Ke Patake, to making Jimikki Kammal and Zinggat a national sensation, YouTube has been part of some of the most iconic pop-culture moments of 2017.
This robust growth reflects the dynamic nature of the Indian creator community, with incredible talent surfacing from across India and especially among the regional language creators.
Top 10 Rising Creators of 2017
Top 10 Creators of 2017
YouTube Rewind brings together the biggest music, trends, memes, and characters from the past twelve months featuring today’s biggest YouTube stars and mainstream personalities. Close to 300 creators globally recreate the best of 2017’s online video moments in this rewind video.
Top Trending Videos of 2017
1. BB Ki Vines – Group Study
2. Jimikki Kammal – Dance Perfomance by Indian School of Commerce
3. ED SHEERAN – Shape Of You | Kyle Hanagami Choreography
4. Make Joke Of – Chacha Ke Patake
5. That Dumb Friend In Every Group – Amit Bhadana
6. Unique Rangoli Design using Chalni
7. Kangana Ranaut in Aap Ki Adalat (Full Interview)
8. Cheez Badi DANCE COVER | Machine | Mustafa & Kiara Advani | @JeyaRaveendran Choreography
9. Step by Step Latest Mehndi Design For Hand 2017 # 1000+
10. Zakir Khan – Life Mein Chahiye Izzat!
Biggest Personalities of 2017 (in no particular order)
1. BB Ki Vines
2. Technical Guruji
3. Ashish Chanchlani
4. 106 yr old YouTube sensation – Mastanamma
5. Dhinchak Pooja
6. Kabita’s Kitchen
7. Harsh Beniwal
8. Sejal Kumar
9. Mahathalli
10. Tanmay Bhat
Top Trending Music Videos – India
1. Badri Ki Dulhania (Title Track)
2. Tamma Tamma Again
3. Guru Randhawa: High Rated Gabru Official Song
4. Ding Dang – Munna Michael
5. Mere Rashke Qamar – Baadshaho
6 Ed Sheeran – Shape of You [Official Video]
7. Luis Fonsi – Despacito ft. Daddy Yankee
8. Jagga Jasoos: Galti Se Mistake
9. Cheez Badi Full Video | Machine
10. Baarish | Half Girlfriend
Top Trending Movie Trailers
1. Baahubali 2 – The Conclusion | Official Trailer (Hindi)
2. Padmavati | Official Trailer
3. Judwaa 2 Official Trailer
4. Toilet Ek Prem Katha Official Trailer
5. Half Girlfriend Official Trailer
6. Begum Jaan | Official Trailer
7. Golmaal Again
8. Badrinath Ki Dulhania – Official Trailer
9. Sachin A Billion Dreams | Official Trailer
10. Tubelight | Official Trailer
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.
