iWorld
ZASH set to acquire remaining 20 % stake in TikTok rival Lomotif
Mumbai: ZASH Global Media and Entertainment on Thursday announced it has agreed to acquire the remaining 20 per cent stake in the video-sharing platform, Lomotif. In February, ZASH entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority controlling interest in Lomotif.
The global expansion of Lomotif is currently underway in India, the world’s second-largest market, and a country where competitor TikTok is banned. With the number of social media users in India expected to be nearly 450 million in 2023, the penetration into the Indian market is a major focus for Lomotif and the parent company ZASH.
Speaking about its strategic business move, ZASH’s co-founder Ted Farnsworth said, “We believe very strongly in the user-generated contact space (UGC) and it is a great honor for us to be able to purchase the remaining shares of Lomotif. With the growth that we have seen recently and continue to see overall in UGC, we feel that this is the perfect positioning to become one of the top leaders competing with TikTok and others for Vinco and Zash as the completion of our two company’s merger becomes imminent.”
The addition of Lomotif enhances ZASH’s offering by adding a short-form video component to its overall ecosystem. Lomotif has recently introduced a new format for talent discovery titled “You’ve Been Scouted,” which invites users to compete in a global competition to crown the platform’s top music performer and reward them with a record label deal and album produced by Grammy Award winning, multi-platinum mega producer Teddy Riley. The launch proved to be a success achieving over one million downloads in the first 30 days alone, said the company.
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.
