/socialketchup/media/agency_attachments/2025/01/15/2025-01-15t065936648z-magazine-logo-black.png){kind=logo}
/socialketchup/media/media_files/2025/09/26/social-ketchup-2025-09-26-14-50-51.jpg)
Follow Us/socialketchup/media/media_files/2025/09/26/microdramas-2025-09-26-11-41-18.png)
Microdramas are the new rage, drawing from TV serials’ playbook and continuing the legacy of early internet short stories. But are they just a passing trend, or a real shift in storytelling? Let’s find out!
We live in times where social media is the economy and attention span is the currency. In that case, the rise of microdramas into a multi-million-dollar industry doesn’t seem like a far-fetched idea, does it? These are small episodic adventures of storytelling, bundled into a reel-like package that delivers a full-fledged story across just a few episodes. Outside of India, in China and America, the format has already crossed into a $7 billion industry and is projected to grow even more by 2030. They’ve become such a staple that they’re even beating box-office projections! And why not? After all, we’ve all been there - lost in the scroll, stumbling upon a one-to-two-minute video that pulls us into a world for a short span of time, sometimes finding it more fascinating than a two-hour film in theatres or even on OTT.
I particularly remember a time when I used to elatedly enjoy FilterCopy’s short videos on Instagram. Based on everyday topics like first crushes or living with a partner, they explored the small nitty-gritties of real life, breaking down 10 moments into a story. Now, imagine that cut into one-minute Reels spread across 10 episodes - that’s what microdramas look like. And it’s not just outside of India. Here too, it’s becoming a full-blown industry. For instance, there’s even an official channel called KuKu TV that crafts various stories like Handsome Bodyguard, Secret Billionaire, Flash Marriage: The All-Purpose Dad, Vampire ka Khooni Ishq, My Homeless Billionaire Husband, and many more. As absurd as these titles sound, their stories spanning over 50 episodes or more sit somewhere between what would be censored on TV, what films don’t even attempt to do and what can't be said in one Reel. But that’s just one example. Many other players are crafting stories that make people keep coming back to them, just like they do for Reels. There’s something for everyone, as newer rising channels and content creators have also started experimenting with storytelling directly on Instagram.
So welcome to the age of microdramas - short, snackable stories that seem to have found a permanent space on our feeds. But are they as sticky as we assume or are they truly a new layer in storytelling, or just another internet trend? We asked creators and storytellers across the spectrum, and their answers reveal a format that may just outlast the swipe.
Also Read:#UnpopularPopularOpinion: Shenaz Treasury is the desi Instagram journalist who makes reporting fun, glocal, and totally bingeable!
The intimacy of the everyday
The charm of microdramas lies in the fact that they get over in under a minute. That means the anxiousness of spending two hours or even more than 15 minutes and not feeling satisfied by the content is much lower. Watching them is an easier decision because you’re already scrolling on Instagram, so what’s the harm in stopping to watch a couple of microdramas? This sentiment is echoed by content creator Yashvi Bagga, whose niche has become microdramas. Her more than 1 million followers loved watching the 50 something episode of tragic love story Hamari Adhuri Kahani on her Instagram. She’s the perfect example of growing an audience through microdramas, and for her, it’s all about being present on people’s feeds.
“Visibility every day, like being on their feed daily, even if it’s for a short span of time matters. People are not interested in watching things that are very long or extended. So making microdramas that are short, snackable- one minute or so and being on their feeds every day makes them relate to it because they feel like it’s a friend appearing every day. It builds curiosity. And when you’re not there even for one day, it makes them feel a little empty, like, ‘Where’s the episode?’ They get very hyper about the episodes. So I think it’s not redefining attention spans, it’s fitting into the attention spans that people already have.”
It’s something that Shreya, creative director at Viral Fission and @listentbh with over 10 years of storytelling experience, also agrees with. She sees microdramas as a redefinition of how we connect with stories and, in turn, a redefinition of storytelling itself.
“A two-hour film demands you sit down and surrender, a two-minuter slips into everyday breaks. The reason people connect is because microdramas mirror real, everyday truths that feel authentic. In some ways, they’ve made storytelling more intimate, almost like you’re eavesdropping on a moment.”
Filmmakers and creative directors Gopikrishnan Nair and Samudra Sengupta, who’ve been crafting campaigns and cinematic ads for years and recently directed the Instagram microdrama series Party of Two, believe the charm lies in timing.
“The charm of storytelling lies in choosing which story to tell. Microdramas feel right at home in today’s world of shifting screens and constant pings, where long-form stories don’t always find their moment. It’s not about redefining attention spans but about making a conscious effort to tell a captivating story that invites us to feel something meaningful as we go about our daily lives.”
Between two worlds: Cinema and microdramas
While microdramas might fit neatly into the everyday attention spans we’ve all developed, that doesn’t make the storytelling any easier. After all, crafting a two-hour film is already a mammoth task. But how does one create a whole story that spans across 10 to 40 episodes, each squeezed into the one-minute window of episodic Reels? At its core, microdrama is still cinema, just packaged differently. Instead of a dark theatre or a living-room screen, it lives in the palm of your hand, waiting to be swiped into. But unlike a movie, it doesn’t ask for two hours of your undivided time. It demands that you immerse yourself in a story for 60 seconds, then come back for the next episode. That alone changes the approach to the craft. As Yashvi explains, the anatomy of the process feels like making a full-length film and then breaking it down into consumable pieces.
“It’s actually like making a two-hour story and then cutting it into short parts. That process has changed my mindset, my work ethic, and my approach to acting, writing, and direction in so many ways. I usually write a full script and then figure out which parts go where, and how to end each episode so it builds curiosity for the next one. That’s tricky—sometimes I don’t even know how much to keep and how much to cut. Acting, of course, becomes tougher because it’s a long, repetitive process. We sometimes even have to wear the same clothes across episodes to keep continuity, which can get monotonous. Direction has completely changed too. You have to think about multiple angles, add dramatic music, and make it feel very Bollywood. Because at the end of the day, that’s your competition. People are used to watching big-budget, star-driven Bollywood films, and here you are trying to deliver that impact on a smaller platform with less money. So you still have to make it look just as competitive.”
What she’s describing is a delicate balance of delivering the feel of a full-fledged Bollywood film but within the scale of Instagram Reels. Microdramas demand the same tools - screenplay, acting, direction, editing but condensed, intensified, and delivered with immediacy. They’re not less cinematic. If anything, they’re cinema compressed to fit into the spaces between our notifications. So if you look closely in her or even in ListenTBH’s microdramas, the anatomy always draws from the three-act structure. The entire story carries an intro, conflict, and resolution, but so does each individual episode. Every Reel leaves you with a hook, designed to pull you back for the next part. Shreya breaks it down with precision.“We usually strip writing down to its core. Instead of building layers, we focus on the one emotion, one moment that needs to land. Acting becomes more contained too, you don’t have the luxury of gradual buildup, so performances rely a lot on subtext, silences, and micro-expressions. Direction is all about precision, every shot has to push the feeling forward.”
Gopikrishnan and Samudra add that, to truly understand the creative process behind microdramas, it helps not to compare them directly with other formats. “Our agenda, engage on the go, shaped everything from how the dialogues were written to land the emotion before a notification could break the moment, to how the screenplay was trimmed to avoid distractions. While directing, the intent was simple- keep the actors present, keep the dialogue lean, and let the audience play along. That’s what makes it immersive.”
Accessibility vs. depth
Since microdramas are shortened and compressed into small bites, one question arises - does accessibility come at the cost of storytelling depth? If a story is over in a minute or so, our interaction with it is briefer, which could risk compromising emotional resonance. And while this format democratizes storytelling, taking it out of the hands of a few gatekeepers, does it also risk flattening content into a series of mindless, snackable clips that are as forgettable as they are fast-paced? Yashvi argues against that notion, highlighting the unique emotional power of microdramas.“It actually has a higher emotional impact. A two-hour movie finishes and you move on with life. But a story that builds every day leaves you with a question each day, and finally you find out what happens. Because you’ve followed it for so long, you get very connected and emotionally attached. In the last part of my first season, people were so invested that they kept demanding season two. We weren’t even planning it, but we had to make it because the audience was so connected.”
Shreya adds that even a two-minute story can engage viewers as deeply as a two-hour film. “Maybe the depth of characters or story isn’t as expansive, but the impact, depending on the creative content, remains the same.” Gopikrishnan and Samudra point out that this concept isn’t entirely new as ads have proven that timeless stories can be told in seconds. “The tension builds faster, the climax may not be as drawn out, but the resolution can still feel just as satisfying. With Instagram’s ‘Party of Two,’ we’re only scratching the surface, and we’re certain this format will continue to evolve as viewers contribute their own creativity.” Yashvi also emphasizes the empowering, yet complex, nature of democratized accessibility.
“I even thought of putting some episodes behind a subscription while keeping others free on reels, but it didn’t work. People said, ‘We were so engrossed in watching it, and now you’re asking us to pay? What’s the difference between you and the Bollywood mafia?’ So I stopped. It’s empowering to be accessible, but there’s also risk—sometimes Bollywood writers can file copyright claims if you use similar dialogues or songs. We do take inspiration from Bollywood because famous dialogues or scenes stick in people’s heads, and that’s the audience we target.”
Shreya, Gopikrishnan, and Samudra all see this accessibility as a tremendous opportunity. The fact that anyone with a phone and an idea can create content, and audiences don’t expect the production value of a feature film, opens the door for countless stories waiting to be told. Technicians eager to showcase their craft and actors ready to express their talent now have a platform. Where better to see that come alive than on Instagram, whether it is through storytelling, hopping on a trend, or even memes?
Passing trend or new format?
To say that microdramas are a passing trend would be unfair. In fact, if anything, they are a growing new format of storytelling, carving out their own space. And why not? It was once unusual to see content creators transition into films as actors, but now, many have proven themselves capable of holding their own. Just because their path was unconventional didn’t mean it was any less valid. So, if creators can enter films, why can’t films enter social media? Yashvi provides an important update on this. “It’s not passing because I’ve had conversations with Amazon Prime and Netflix, and they want to start vertical-formatted videos on an exclusive app. They want to build an app solely for vertical videos, as the audience return rate on reels is much higher than on OTT platforms. Yes, platforms are pushing more for quick consumption because people are glued to their phones, scrolling reels. But that’s where the audience is, and platforms will always follow the audience.”
This format is here to stay whether one likes it or not. Today, creators and audience reception are actively shaping them into a legitimate storytelling format. Shreya sees this as the beginning of a new layer in storytelling. “Just like short films or music videos carved their own space, microdramas are doing the same. They are definitely here to coexist. For us at ListenTBH, they’re a playground to experiment with stories, voice, and emotional resonance. In that sense, I think we’re at the start of a new layer in storytelling, not just a passing phase.” On the other hand, Gopikrishnan and Samudra point out that microdramas are not a new trend, they have already stood the test of time.
“Over a decade ago, the format gained momentum through ‘snackable’ dramas—5 to 15-minute episodes designed for commuters watching on their phones. What we see today is the next chapter, with the format finding a home on platforms like Instagram and being embraced by both creators and brands. This only reinforces our confidence that they will last and continue to evolve.”
One could almost liken it to how the gaming industry shifted from consoles and PCs to mobile-first experiences. Phones are the hero device of our times. In the context of “snackable entertainment,” microdramas have become the superstar. “Together, the two create a partnership that will define how stories are consumed. With Instagram Party of Two,’we believe we’re setting the tone for what this future can look like.”
In the end, microdramas aren’t here to replace films or OTT, they’re staking their own claim. They thrive on intimacy, consistency, and honesty, demanding creators to sharpen every cut, refine every performance, and direct with precision. They slip seamlessly into the small pauses of our day, turning moments of idle scrolling into genuine engagement. Two minutes is not here to fight with the expansiveness of a two-hour film, but in the right hands, they can linger long enough to provoke thought, spark emotion, and prove that even the briefest stories can leave a lasting mark!
What are your thoughts on this subject? Tell us in the comments below!
For more such conversations, follow us on @socialketchupbinge