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JioCinema to present first-ever India-Afghanistan three-match T20I series
Mumbai: Viacom18 will present the three-match T20I series between Afghanistan and India live on JioCinema, Sports18-1 SD + HD, and Colors Cineplex from January 11-17, 2024. The tour, which will mark Team India’s first T20I series of 2024, will serve as a build-up to the T20 World Cup to be played later in the year.
JioCinema will elevate the viewing experience by presenting the series in English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. Colors Cineplex will present live action in Hindi, while viewers can opt between English, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada on Sports18-1 SD + HD. Fans will also be able to catch incisive analysis from experts such as Suresh Raina, Zaheer Khan, Saba Karim, Parthiv Patel, Aakash Chopra, and Pragyan Chopra throughout the series.
In a humourous promo released by Viacom18, the two nations are represented by their respective kits in a sports store engaging in friendly banter. With the tag line of ‘dekh lenge’, the campaign plays along the lines of ‘the giant killers vs the giants’. Both teams are depicted challenging each other for the series with enjoyable cultural references.
“Afghanistan has arguably had the most exhilarating development in world cricket over the past few years, so the India tour promises a perfect mix of neighbourly camaraderie and high-octane T20 action,” said a Viacom18 Spokesperson. “While there won’t be any dearth of cricketing excitement inside the boundary line, our endeavour outside of it is to package accessibility and personalisation for every cricket fan watching the series, be it through handheld devices or connected TV. 2024 will see a meteoric rise in digital consumption of live sports and we are poised to fill that gap with our offerings.”
After an impressive World Cup campaign in India, a raring Afghanistan side will take on the might of India and hope to register their first-ever victory against the Men in Blue in the first T20I on January 11, 2024. Coverage for the matches will begin at 6 PM on JioCinema, Sports18-1 SD + HD, and Colors Cineplex.
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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.
