iWorld
Scripted to scale Banijay boss Deepak Dhar backs India’s big format future
MUMBAI: He may have started as an “outside classroom student,” but today Deepak Dhar is scripting the biggest chapters of Asia’s content boom. At a fireside chat during the 9th Content Hub Summit 2025, the Group CEO of Banijay Asia and Endemol Shine India unpacked what it takes to run one of the most prolific content machines in the region and why India is finally poised to export formats, not just import them.
With a staggering 800 production days of Bigg Boss alone across languages like Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bangla and Marathi, Dhar highlighted the scale and stamina needed to keep pace. “Even I don’t know how we manage to shoot 800 days in 365,” he quipped. “But that’s the opportunity India presents.”
From reality juggernauts like Bigg Boss, MasterChef, and Fear Factor, Dhar has now set his sights on fiction with shows like The Night Manager, The Good Wife, and Trial. His move from Endemol to launching Banijay Asia stemmed from a need to detox from the “reality king” tag and reinvent. “I wanted to unlearn and start again. What excites me is the fear of the unknown,” he said.
In Dhar’s view, the Indian content ecosystem has evolved dramatically from hyperlocal, broadcast-first formats to stories that now aim for global resonance. “Streaming has been the biggest shake-up in a good way. It’s democratised content and shrunk the world,” he said, citing the rise of global formats from countries like Israel, Korea, and Scandinavia. “Now it’s India’s turn.”
But why haven’t Indian formats gone global yet? Dhar believes the answer lies in legacy TV habits. “Twenty years ago, we weren’t designing shows for export. Now, with OTT, that’s changing. It’s the right time,” he asserted. His goal? To see an original Indian format go global. “We’ve imported so many shows successfully. Now we need one of ours out there and we’re working on it.”
Dhar also shared an anecdote that captures how dramatically content consumption has changed. “One Sunday, I asked my 15-year-old daughter to watch a movie. I picked up the TV remote, she picked up her laptop. That was the moment it hit me my business model was evolving in my own living room.”
Despite the shifts, Dhar is clear-eyed about the fundamentals. “None of us knows what will click. But what we can control is the process find the right story, the right people to shoot and edit it, and the right home for it.”
In a fragmented world of content, formats and platforms, Dhar’s formula is refreshingly simple: trust the team, stick to the process, and don’t overthink. The only real script for success, it seems, is being ready to rewrite it again and again.
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.
