iWorld
YuppTV-ETV partner exclusively for Telugu channels for US market
MUMBAI: Clearly this is going to be something that’s going to work in its favour. The Emerald Media funded-UdayReddy run (over the top/video on demand) OTT/VOD service YuppTV has signed an exclusive partnership with the Ramoji Rao-promoted K. Bapineedu-run ETV Network to stream ETV Telugu’s entertainment content in the US market. Viewers in Uncle Sam will get to see ETV Telugu shows like Padutha Teeyaga, Jabardasth, Extra Jabadasth and Manasu Mamatha exclusively on YuppTV.
YuppTV’s target audience is the south Asian diaspora globally and a substantial portion of the hardware and software engineers working in the US are from either Andhra Pradesh or Telangana. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella for example was born to Telugu speaking parents. An estimate is that around 250,000 Indians working the US speak Telugu. And more than 2 million Telugu speaking Indians are dispersed the world over.
ETV is also introducing introducing ETV Life, ETV Plus, ETV Cinema and ETV Abhiruchi for the first time in the US. As part of the association, fans of ETV shall be able to access their Telugu shows on the YuppTV app available on six screens including smart TVs/blu-ray players, smart media players, PC, smartphones, tablets and gaming consoles.
“ETV Telugu’s entertainment content has been successful in striking the right chord with the users and we are happy to make the same available in the US markets, henceforth exclusively,” says YuppTV founder & CEO Uday Reddy. “We further look forward to a long term association with channels and would always strive to surprise our users with further such engaging and entertaining associations.”
ETV Network CEO K Bapineedu adds: “We have enjoyed our association with YuppTV for a while now. The decision to go exclusive on our partnership with the platform was taken due to the positive response, especially in the US market. Our entertainment shows have become popular over the time in the Indian expat community settled in the US. We further look forward to enhancing the reach of our entertainment content via the incredible penetration and popularity of YuppTV.”
YuppTV has 25,000 hours of entertainment content catalogued in its library, while nearly 2500 hours of new on-demand content is added to the YuppTV platform every day It offers live TV and catch-Up TV technology. It recently launched YuppFlix, a movie on-demand streaming service for the expat market, and YuppTV Bazaar, an online marketplace for the premium content curator.
YuppTV is currently ranked #1 Internet Pay TV platform for Indians living abroad and also the largest internet TV platform from premium content availability in India. YuppTV is the most downloaded Indian SmartTV app and it also boasts of eight million mobile downloads with 4.0 user rating.
Subscribers in India pay Rs 5 for a day pass or Rs 99 for a month’s pass to watch all of YuppTV’s content. US-based subscribers pay $15.99 monthly for a Telugu Gold Value Pack, $99.99 for a half yearly pack and $169.99 for an annual pack. It charges $29.99 per month for a Telugu Platinum Value Pack.
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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.
