iWorld
Voot bags streaming rights for Maratha Cricket League T20
Mumbai: Viacom18 backed video-streaming platform, Voot is set to collaborate with India’s first cricket reality show, Maratha Cricket League T20 as its exclusive streaming partner.
The talent hunt reality show will consist of a total of 34 cricket matches scheduled to begin on 15 August, with the grand finale on 5 September. As a unique feature, the cricket league will also have a ‘public voting’ system.
Maratha Cricket League T20, Squarecut Sports Pvt Ltd, CEO Vincent John said, “Maratha Cricket League – MCLT20 is India’s first Cricket Reality Show designed to discover less fortunate cricketers of India and to give them a platform to tell their stories and display their cricketing talent to the world. The league represents the iconic heritage and glorious history of the Great Maratha Empire and embodies its warrior spirit. Over ten thousand such cricketers were given an opportunity to display their talent out of which the best 200 will feature in season one of MCL-T20. Through the platform of Voot, they will be able to tell their stories. We look forward to the long-term successful association with Voot.”
Former India International cricketer and Squarecut Sports Pvt. Ltd. VP and VC, Rudra Pratap Singh said, “What attracted me most about the MCL-T20 is its unique concept to give a platform to so many less fortunate cricketers to showcase their talent and live their dream through the MCL-T20. Getting Voot as our broadcasting partner magnifies this opportunity a thousand-fold for these undiscovered talented cricketers to tell their stories to the world both on and off the field.”
Viacom18 Digital Ventures, head – AVOD (Voot), Chanpreet Arora said, “Voot is a platform that seeks to provide diverse content experiences and a differentiated and first-of-its-kind sports talent hunt reality show that seeks to encourage cricketing talent in the country is a great way for us to connect with our users. The partnership with the Maratha Cricket league as streaming partners presents MCL with the opportunity to tap into the large user base of Voot while it allows Voot to drive meaningful engagement with sporting enthusiasts in the country through the unique format. This is the first of more such content innovations to come from our end at Voot.”
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.
