iWorld
Justice served cold as Goquest and Sachin Pandey crack open true crime
MUMBAI: True crime is getting its day in court and this time, the verdict is global. Goquest Media has teamed up with producer Sachin Pandey to co-create and jointly own Insaaf Files – Bharat Ka Fightback, a new true-crime series that blends real-world justice with a multi-platform, international ambition.
The partnership marks Goquest Media’s third original production, following the overseas success of its Turkish drama Kuma (The Other Wife) and its follow-up Arafta. Having sold Kuma across more than 20 territories and Arafta in over seven international markets, Goquest is now adapting the same ownership-led, make-to-sell model for original Indian storytelling.
Under the agreement, Goquest Media and Pandey will jointly own the intellectual property of Insaaf Files, positioning the series as a long-term asset rather than a one-season play. The show will be commissioned and distributed by Goquest through dual revenue streams B2B licensing to broadcasters and platforms worldwide, alongside direct-to-consumer monetisation on Youtube.
The collaboration builds on Pandey’s recent breakout success with Thukra Ke Mera Pyaar, which emerged as the most-watched and most-subscribed show on JioHotstar in 2024, cementing his reputation for audience-pulling narratives.
Announcing the partnership, Goquest Media founder and managing director Vivek Lath said the series reflects the company’s push to create globally scalable Indian originals. The co-ownership structure, he noted, allows both partners to develop content with international distribution in mind while sharing long-term value across markets.
Pandey described Insaaf Files – Bharat Ka Fightback as a story rooted in justice and everyday resilience, adding that the YouTube-first strategy, paired with traditional licensing, opens up fresh ways to reach audiences worldwide.
With true crime continuing to travel well across borders and platforms, Insaaf Files signals a shift in how Indian originals are being built not just to stream, but to last.
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.
