iWorld
ZEE5 to premiere State of Siege: 26/11 on 24 Jan
MUMBAI: Few years after the 26/11 terror attack shook the financial capital of the country, several films attempted to portray the rather grim and harsh reality of the fateful day. Few films also realistically portrayed the series of tragic events.
ZEE5, India’s largest video streaming platform will soon premiere ‘State of Siege: 26/11’ based on renowned author and journalist Sandeep Unnithan’s book – Black Tornado: The Three Sieges of Mumbai 26/11.
The eight-episode series unravels #TheUntoldStories and is a true to account narrative of the various events that turned into the prolonged terror siege of Mumbai on 26 November 2008.
“The nation will witness unheard incidents from the 26/11 attack. ZEE5’s State of Siege: 26/11 will give you a perspective as to how it all ended in just 60 hours and the crises and challenges faced by our unit. Also, the show will give answers to everyone who thinks why the commandos were late to reach for the mission,” said Nariman (Chabad) House colonel Sundeep Sen, the second-in-command combating terrorists.
The show, produced and created by Contiloe Pictures producer and creator Abhimanyu Singh and co-creator and director Matthew Leutwyler, features an impressive cast comprising Arjan Bajwa, Arjun Bijlani, Vivek Dahiya, Sid Makkar, Mukul Dev, Tara Alisha Berry, Khalida Jaan, Jyoti Gauba, Roshni Sahota, Suzanne Bernert, Naren Kumar and Jason Shah.
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.
