Micro magic

Are bite-sized dramas the future?

- GEETIKA SRIVASTAVA

IN LATE 2024, microdramas in China outperformed the film industry in terms of revenue. A seismic shift—and one that India seems poised to follow. "We are bullish on vertical dramas and the genres around this format," says Vinod Kumar Meena, COO and co-founder of KUKU. Meena says India has about 900 million internet users, of which around 150 million pay for content. He estimates that soon, around 500 million users will pay for content—and the market size for vertical drama alone will be around 300 million users. Hence, this is a huge opportunity.

Microdramas—short episodic vertical videos under two minutes—are not just a passing trend. Globally, that market is projected to hit $13 billion by 2027. In India, where short-form video consumption is surging, the format is taking root as a new form of mainstream entertainment. Platforms like KUKU have invested heavily, producing shows like My Idiot Hero Husband, Secret Billionaire, and Study God. "April onwards, we will release one microdrama a day and gradually we want to release 100 microdramas a month," says Meena.