Micro dramas are redefining entertainment with bite-sized stories

Gone are the days when people would binge-watch hour-long episodes. Thanks to the reduced attention span, netizens are now moving to micro dramas. Vertical web series with episodes under two minutes are the latest trend in the entertainment world. And according to reports, tier-two cities are leading the charge.

What are micro-dramas?

The idea is deceptively simple. Each micro-drama delivers a full-fledged storyline but stripped down into smaller episodes. Whether it’s your metro ride, a long queue at the café, or those two spare minutes before bed, these short episodes are perfect for when you have less time on your hands.

While bite-sized content has already taken over social media through Reels, Shorts, and TikToks, micro dramas seem to be feeding to the change.

These short episodes give you a dose of drama or emotion, just enough to keep you hooked, without getting you involved for a longer time.

While the emergence of OTT platforms like Netflix, Prime Video and others got us all into binge-watching, these micro-dramas are a step further. The idea is to bring the audience in looking for some quick entertainment and offer them entertainment they can stay hooked on.

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Where can you watch micro dramas?

Several homegrown platforms are spearheading this trend. Some of the most popular series include 'Death Clock', 'Born to Rule', 'Phir Se Restart', and 'My Homeless Billionaire Husband.' The themes are bold, melodramatic, and instantly engaging—exactly what’s needed to capture audiences scrolling at lightning speed.

Who is acting in these micro-dramas?

Many of your favourite actors have now turned to micro dramas. Actors such as Kinshuk Vaidya, Zareen Khan, Ashnoor Kaur, Parth Samthaan, Zain Imam, and Kinshuk Mahajan are already part of the format.

While Kinshuk’s ‘Death Clock’ has been released on Story TV, Zareen Khan’s ‘Phir Se Restart’ is airing on Pocket TV.

Kinshuk Vaidya in 'Death Clock. (Image courtesy: Story TV)

Did you know it's a million-dollar market?

The economics of micro-dramas are equally striking. According to Financial Express, India’s micro-drama market is projected to hit $5 billion within the next five years. The report also states that nearly 68 per cent of short video platform users now hail from places like Jaipur, Patna, Kanpur, Kota, and Lucknow. States such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Maharashtra are proving to be major consumption hubs.

In India, Kuku TV, Pocket TV, Story TV, Flick TV are a few that offer micro-drama entertainment.

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What does the rise of micro-dramas mean?

The rise of micro-dramas underscores a fundamental shift. We are no longer confined to a theatre watching a 3-hour film; a 20-minute episode on our phone is proving to be the next trend.

With audiences hungry for more, micro-dramas may well become the default way India consumes fiction. What do you think? Is micro-drama the future or do you love the old school way of binge-watching long episode shows like ‘Wednesday’?