iWorld
HOOQ expands viewing experience with Google Chromecast
MUMBAI: In a bid to expand the viewing experience of users in the country and address the home entertainment market, video-on-demand service HOOQ app’s latest version will support Google Chromecast.
With this, HOOQ subscribers will now be able to use Chromecast to cast movies and TV series from any connected device to their television screens. HOOQ offers unlimited streaming of over 15,000 English, Hindi and regional language films as well as TV shows on its platform.
HOOQ chief marketing officer Ravi Vora said, “We are very thrilled to bring the best in class entertainment from HOOQ to Chromecast users enabling them to enjoy the best content on their televisions right in their living rooms. We believe this partnership further solidifies our position as the country’s biggest premium video-on-demand service.”
Chromecast is a thumb-sized media streaming device that plugs into the HDMI port on TVs. Viewers can use an Android phone, tablet, iPhone, iPad, Mac or Windows laptop, or Chromebook to cast the HOOQ app and its programming onto a television.
HOOQ launched in India earlier this year with a subscription price of Rs 199 per month. Users can access entertainment content, which can be viewed on upto five connected devices. The service also offers a unique offline download feature of up to five titles at a time ensuring that there is always video content to be enjoyed even when users are offline or facing connectivity challenges.
Customers, who purchase Google Chromecast through Snapdeal and Reliance Digital, will get free access to HOOQ for six months, which is worth Rs 1500.
Some of the content that is available on HOOQ includes movies like The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings, The Dark Knight Rises, Iron Man 3,Don, Chennai Express, Barffi, Kai Po Che, Lai Bhaari, Harishchandrachi Factory and Chandrmukhi, and TV shows like Friends, Nip Tuck, ER and first and exclusively in Asia – Ash vs. Evil Dead.
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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.
