Micro-drama apps seek aggregation to enhance user reach in India’s entertainment market

Last month, Tata Play Binge introduced Shots, a curated category of mobile-only, vertical micro-dramas available at no additional cost to its subscribers. The move signals early attempts to build an aggregation layer in a format that has so far evolved within standalone apps.

Industry executives say as engagement formats multiply, ensuring the right content reaches the right audience is becoming critical.

Discovery challenge

Across the entertainment industry, there is growing interest in partnerships that improve discovery without complicating the user experience. In India, however, the challenge is sharper than in most markets.

Discovery remains fragmented, language and cultural diversity are vast, and monetization expectations vary widely. Any aggregation effort would need strong curation, consistent quality and flexible pricing; otherwise, it risks overwhelming users instead of helping them find stories they genuinely connect with.

“Aggregation is especially well suited to micro-drama content, where discovery, scale and convenience drive consumption. While the underlying model is comparable to long-form OTT, multiple platforms accessed through a single interface, the usage dynamic is fundamentally different,” said Pallavi Puri, chief commercial and content officer, Tata Play.

“Micro-dramas are mobile-first, designed for rapid, repeat viewing and algorithm-led discovery, whereas long-form OTT caters to planned, immersive sessions. This offering calls for lighter, faster product experience, making aggregation not just feasible but strategically essential in the micro-drama space,” said Puri.

Tata Play has begun with two platforms, Bullet and Stage, offering a mix of Hindi and regional micro-drama content. Initial consumer response has been promising, validating the aggregation approach, Puri added. Multiple additional integrations are planned through FY2026 to further strengthen content discovery and expand viewer choice.

Siloed ecosystem

Entertainment industry experts said that globally, micro-dramas have largely developed within siloed, platform-specific ecosystems, with little large-scale aggregation across markets. As the format matures, the need for consolidation, curation and quality-led discovery is becoming more pronounced, creating space for aggregation-led models.

In India, linguistic diversity, varied content standards and evolving monetization frameworks add further complexity.

Calling aggregation an avenue for visibility, brand value and AVoD (advertising video-on-demand) revenue, Azim Lalani, co-founder and chief business officer, Bullet, said the company is currently offering six-month-old titles on aggregator platforms to allow users to sample its library and move to its standalone service.

“Aggregation is especially well suited to micro-drama content…,” Lalani said, adding that in time, the company may explore subscription-led partnerships for newer shows.

Format discipline

For creators, aggregation is viable—but only if it respects the format’s fundamentals.

“Aggregation is definitely possible for micro-drama apps, but it has to be built very differently from long-form OTT. Micro-dramas work only when there is strong discipline around the format, short episode lengths, sharp storytelling, and vertical, mobile-first viewing. Simply stacking large content libraries, as OTT platforms do, would dilute the experience. Similar to OTT, aggregation can help drive scale, faster discovery, and stronger monetization. The difference is that micro-drama viewing is instinctive and moment-led, with audiences deciding in seconds whether to stay or swipe away,” said Anshita Kulshrestha, founder, TukTuki Entertainments.

Discovery remains central to scaling, she added.

“Our focus is on partnerships that strengthen discoverability without compromising the format or the viewing experience. Beyond partnerships, we see technology as a key lever. AI-led recommendations, sharp audience segmentation, and rapid feedback loops help us place the right story in front of the right viewer at the right moment,” she said.

Inflection point

Some industry observers believe aggregation could be the inflection point for micro-dramas—much like it was for OTT platforms.

Aggregation helped transform OTT from scattered standalone apps into a daily habit, said Nahush Gulawani, co-founder, Wit & Chai Group. With Tata Play stepping in, the format appears to be shifting from experimental to ecosystem-led, he added.

Once discovery clicks, scale tends to follow.

However, structural challenges remain.

“In India, while appetite for snackable content is strong, challenges include content differentiation beyond melodrama, fragmented platforms, price-sensitive audiences, multilingual production complexity, and monetisation at scale. Success will depend on strong curation, locally resonant storytelling, sustainable revenue models, and discovery-driven aggregation rather than volume-led expansion,” said Ankush Sachdeva, CEO and co-founder, ShareChat & Moj.