iWorld
Netflix India’s Abhishek Nag on streaming challenges, connected TVs and local stories
MUMBAI: Internet network speed hasn’t kept pace with the growth of internet adopters in India. Hence, streaming giant Netflix, which sees the potential of its next 100 million subscribers from this country, is heavily investing in compression technology to provide good viewing experience of high quality video even without a fast connection. Along with that, the OTT platform is highly committed to delivering locally relevant stories.
“There was a time when if you watched a high quality video on Netflix you will be on a 750 kbps connection. Today you can watch extremely high quality video on Netflix at 270kbps. You can do this because we invest significantly on compression technologies,” Netflix India business development director Abhishek Nag said while speaking at The Future Of Video India 2019 summit organised by the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA).
Nag also emphasised on the importance of connected TVs as the partner of the OTT platform. Although handheld devices have emerged as the most popular medium to consume digital content, the Netflix executive said that users are gradually watching the streaming platform on large screens. He added that 42 per cent of accounts’ primary viewing in India became connected TVs within six months of activating subscription for the first time. Even broadband partnerships are extremely important for the company to provide a good viewing experience.
According to him, the dichotomy between OTT and broadcaster is outdated now. He opined that the industry today is bifurcated as content creators and distributors. Rather than the medium and the delivery pipe, consumers ultimately care about content.
Nag also reiterated the importance of locally relevant stories. Along with Sacred Games’success outside India, he also cited the example of Dark which had a successful run in its home country Germany but garnered more viewership across the globe. According to him, as the company continues to diversify content and personalise the service people will see value in subscribing.
When it comes to the issue of censorship, which has become the centre of attraction for regulation since last year, OTT players teamed up to create a self-regulation code. Nag is of the view that the code balances creative freedom and expression along with getting consumers' choice to watch what they feel is right.
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.
