Micro drama platforms face harsh business realities in India

New Delhi: India, with its vast population and appetite for diverse storytelling, has long been a fertile ground for global content trends. The latest to arrive is the booming format of 'Micro dramas'.

Micro dramas are short, snackable narratives designed for today’s fleeting attention spans. As this genre gains traction worldwide, it’s beginning to carve out space in India’s digital content scene.

Amid the ballyhoo around micro dramas and their claims to be the next big thing in the content space, some aspects suggest an ample amount of recalibration in how these new players are playing the game. 

The AVOD avoidance 

For all the buzz that micro drama platforms have generated in India’s content space, there’s a glaring reality check waiting for them: the advertising-based video on demand (AVOD) model is far from viable. While these platforms promise snackable, vertical entertainment for the mobile-first consumer, their ability to monetise through ads is, at best, a distant dream.

A senior executive from one such micro drama platform, who requested anonymity, summed it up crisply, saying, “Unless you have a massive number of users, why will advertisers advertise with you? You need at least 10 million subscribers for the AVOD model to make sense.”

In the fragmented micro drama landscape, that kind of user base is rare. Unlike established OTT players or social media giants with deep content libraries and sticky audiences, most standalone micro drama platforms are still finding their feet. “You can’t build an ad model on the back of just 10 to 15 shows. You need scale in both content and users,” the executive added.

Aamir Mulani, founder, PlayBoxTV, echoed the sentiment. According to him, if platforms insert ads that are more than 24% of the content, the user experience gets killed. “Micro dramas are all about personal, immersive viewing. Ads destroy that,” he said. 

Micro or mini?

Micro dramas work because they match modern attention spans, as explained by Brijen Desai, Associate Vice-President, White Rivers Media. “In a mobile-first world, short stories aren’t a compromise, they’re a match. The best ones stick. They repeat. They get watched again. And again,” he said. 

Adding to the conversation, the Kuku TV spokesperson said, “While short-form content may span a few episodes or videos, microdramas can span anywhere from 40-100 or even more episodes. This episodic approach with a consistent plot is what makes them different from short-form videos.” 

Mulani, contending with the narrative, stated that the industry has misunderstood what micro dramas are supposed to be.  “Today, people are making micro dramas of 60 to 90 episodes, meaning they are creating 1 to 1.5 hours of content. That is literally a film. That’s not a micro drama,” said Mulani, sharply criticising the approach of some Indian platforms.

According to him, a micro drama is not supposed to be more than 15 minutes, across 10 to 12 episodes. 

The battle of the backing

While the monetisation model and content format might get clarity over time for micro drama platforms, there is another uphill climb. And that is survival in an ecosystem dominated by legacy-backed players. 

According to the executive speaking on the condition of anonymity, no standalone player is equipped enough to crack the market. “Players like ShareChat, which launched Quick TV, or Jio’s new vertical content arms, have an existing audience and an ecosystem to fall back on. For a new entrant without legacy users or other revenue streams, it’s brutally difficult,” the executive said. 

Mulani concurred, observing that most micro drama startups are not tech-first companies but content enthusiasts lacking an ecosystem mindset. “It’s very difficult for a standalone OTT to succeed. Without an existing user base or legacy in the content space, it’s like building Netflix from scratch without the infrastructure.”

Micro drama platforms in India are lacking depth in the content pool, and the current focus is to scale content before scaling the platform.

Speaking on the subject matter, Kshitiz Sudhakar, Founder & COO, KathaVersse, said, “Right now, everyone is behind scaling their content size. It is the same thing that OTT players did when they entered the Indian markets. It is the only way a platform can get the user to stay on their platform.” KathaVersse has, as of now, produced upwards of 10 shows for micro drama platforms. 

According to industry estimates, producing a micro drama show can cost anywhere between 15 lakhs to 50 lakhs. While established players may have the investment, new standalone players might have to either go for quality or quantity. 

And if industry history offers any cautionary tale, it is Quibi, the much-hyped micro drama platform in the US that promised premium, short-form, mobile-first content. Despite raising nearly $2 billion, Quibi shut down in just six months. Why? A lack of scale, no meaningful user base, and a content format that failed to differentiate itself from the free short-form content audiences were already consuming on YouTube and Instagram.

Brands are still warming up

Desai shared that micro dramas are already moving beyond pitch decks and into active conversations. “They aren’t adding clutter. They cut through. In some cases, they are even pulling budget from traditional influencer campaigns and social shorts when the goal is deeper engagement in a shorter span.”

But Desai also highlighted the evolving nature of ROI metrics. “Key metrics today include completion rates, repeat viewership, engagement metrics like likes and shares, and brand lift studies. But ultimately, brands want to know: will it scale, will it deliver recall, and will it drive conversion?”

“Everyone is waiting for this space to shape up and get some direction, including brands,” said Sudhakar. For brands, the only chance to get the best of micro dramas is brand integrations.

Another unique way for brands to hop on the bandwagon was offered by Mulani, who said, “Imagine micro drama platforms partnering with quick commerce platforms. Platforms, or specific brands, can offer a day-long subscription or unlock a show on a particular micro drama platform, upon purchase of goods for a certain amount or of a certain brand.” 

Still, for now, the big brand remains cautious. According to the anonymous spokesperson, advertisers are unlikely to dive deep into micro dramas until platforms demonstrate a deeper content library and larger captive audiences. “You need a critical mass of content and users. Only then will your ad model or brand partnerships start to make real sense.”

In short, brands are intrigued, open to pilots, and keen to experiment. But the format is still firmly in the test-and-learn phase. It will take tangible results on reach, recall, and ROI to turn micro dramas into a stable line item in the brand media plan, rather than the flavour of the season.

Will micro drama platforms find their sustainable footing?

The big question now is whether micro dramas will find their sustainable footing or fade like yet another short-form fad. Desai remains cautiously optimistic. “Micro dramas are poised to become a distinct line item in media plans, provided they continue to demonstrate tangible results. The demand for measurable, high-engagement formats is rising, and micro dramas fit this need if executed with strategic intent.”

The buzz is undeniable, but in the absence of a deep content library, a wide subscriber base, and clarity on monetisation, micro dramas might remain a cute experiment for standalone players and a scale play for the big boys.

Until then, perhaps it’s best to enjoy your micro drama in 10-minute bursts. No ads, no clutter, just pure, personal escapism.