iWorld
i-Tap inks MoU with NextPlay
Mumbai: Triple Com Media (iTap) Mumbai, has announced a strategic partnership with NextPlay Technologies. NextPlay’s in-game advertising (IGA) unit, HotPlay has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with iTap, Mumbai. It is an OTT entertainment and gaming platform in India that offers comedy shorts, mobisodes, films, serials, lifestyle features, gaming and esports content targeted to Indian smartphone audiences.
The MOU aims at a partnership that will target India’s fast growing online gaming audience and later also extend to international markets in fourth quarter of 2022 when iTap expands overseas. The collaboration includes integration of HotPlay’s In-Game Advertising (IGA) tech into iTap’s existing entertainment, gaming, and e-sports content. HotPlay’s hyper-casual game portfolio currently includes more than fifty exciting games and growing which will also be on boarded onto iTap’s existing library of casual and trivia games and quizzes. The joint effort is designed to create an ecosystem in-line with both organisation’s business objectives while entertaining India’s 400 million plus gaming audience.
Despite the pandemic and recent economic turmoil, the parties believe that India remains a bright spot for growth. The partnership aims to seize opportunities in the high growth markets of hyper-casual genre games, e-sports, and gaming tournaments. Both parties view hyper-casual gaming as an opportunity due to its easy-to-play nature that engages broad audience age groups.
NextPlay co-CEO Nithinan Boonyawattanapisut stated, “The company sees great opportunity in the Indian market, not only from the size of the market itself but also from the remarkable growth rate of its entertainment segment, particularly in the hyper-casual game space and overall gaming industry. We are optimistic about this strategic collaboration with iTAP’s fast-growing OTT platform and an opportunity to enter the Indian market. We believe in the recent completion of our goGame asset purchase, our hyper-casual game portfolio and our HotPlay.”
“The parties added that an IGA solution offers great synergistic value to a diversified entertainment platform like iTap. The integration of HotPlay games and IGA will better position iTAP’s entertainment ecosystem in India and augment revenue opportunities through iTAP’s rapidly growing user base.” he added.
Triple Com Media, iTap founder & CEO Kunal Dasgupta said, “HotPlay will help strengthen iTAP’s gaming profile and integrating IGA into iTap also creates promotional extensions such as in-game coupons, rewards, and contests. These synergies are expected to be very beneficial and relevant for marketers besides additional opportunities for iTap and HotPlay to explore collaboration in new, emerging areas like NFTs, digital fashion and virtual artefacts for the Metaverse.”
Dasgupta is a veteran in the Indian media and entertainment industry; prior to founding iTAP he was Sony Pictures Networks (India) CEO for 15 years.
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.
