Kuku FM, an entertainment platform has entered the video streaming market with KUKU TV, pioneering vertical, serialised microdramas -a first in the country’s OTT landscape. The company is actively collaborating with directors, writers, and producers to develop and distribute microdramas, while also acquiring rights to underrepresented films and shows.
With the ambition to become India’s largest vertical microdrama distribution platform within a year, KUKU TV brings a fresh format tailored for today’s mobile-first audience. Microdramas—short, episodic vertical videos with fast-paced storytelling and cliffhanger endings—are designed for quick, on-the-go entertainment. Each episode lasts up to two minutes, spanning over 50+ episodes per series, making them ideal for modern viewing habits.
KUKU TV is available in Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, and Bangla, ensuring regional inclusivity while also curating content from around India.
Medianews4u.com caught up with Vinod Kumar Meena, Co-founder and COO, Kuku
Q. Could you talk about Kuku FM and Kuku TV’s growth strategy for 2025?
Our vision for both is to experiment more, launch newer titles and expand our presence across multiple genres or categories.
The audio business remains the core platform for us when it comes to testing out new plots, figuring out stories, understanding consumer preferences and more. We are translating our learnings from the same to pioneer serialised vertical microdramas with Kuku TV.
In terms of the overall growth we will be leveraging a mix of ATL and BTL campaigns to further drive awareness for our microdrama vertical given it’s a nascent concept in India. Additionally we are also developing our own slate of originals with a sharp focus on high quality storytelling.
Q. What role will the Microdrama format play in this?
We are very bullish on vertical dramas and the overall genres around this. Today Kuku FM has an audio platform which has one of the largest mobile first distribution with around 4.5 million active paying subscribers hence we have a lot of data around what works when it comes to privately consumed personalised content.
Hence we are taking these learnings from our audio platform and translating these learnings into Kuku TV. By the end of the year we are predicting that microdramas will drive 20% of our overall revenue and one day will eclipse our audio business.
Today India has about 900 million Internet users of which around 150 million pay for content. Once this population crosses the threshold of 1 billion and more the number of users paying for content will be around 500 million users of which we estimate that the market size for paying users for vertical drama will be around 300 million users. Hence this is a huge opportunity for us.
Q. What languages will be looked at? Is the genre a derivation of a soap?
In the universe of vertical or short form video there has been a step function decrease in attention spans over the years. Our attention span has decreased from going to theatres to watching movies in cinema halls then to TV now OTT and more. Vertical drama or microdrama fits in perfectly with this current trend.
On one hand you have to commit a significant amount of time towards going to theatres while on the other hand the users today have an option to swipe up to view the next vertical drama or short form content/stories. If the story is not fast moving or intriguing then users always have the option to move to another app. So fast moving plots irrespective of the genres works best overall.
Unlike watching a movie or on OTT, the consumption of vertical video is a very personalised experience. People who consume vertical or short format content usually don’t share their consumption patterns with others. Hence the genres here need to be tailored. We have seen that fantasy story telling here with stories hovering around – rags to riches, underdog stories, power struggle stories etc are very popular.
In terms of languages however where we differ is that we are regionalising the content in Indian languages – Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali and a few more global languages versus simply adapting the content in English.
Q. Could you talk about the appeal of Microdramas over other formats?
Microdramas involve faster plot twists and involve low cost of production. The time spent on microdramas globally is higher than OTT or TV. However in India since this genre is picking up gradually so not a lot of known TV or OTT mainstream actors are participating in it yet due to cost constraints.
The actors who are taking part in microdramas are budding actors looking to get their break in the industry by participating in this.
Q. Is the plan to release a new microdrama each week?
Yes we plan to do so eventually. Given how fast paced microdramas are hence the release pipeline has to be continuous to get users engaged. Therefore we have an ambitious pipeline to release new microdramas.
From April onwards we are releasing 1 new microdrama per day and gradually we want to release 100 microdramas a month. The opportunity for us is immense.
Q. In China, the microdrama market is estimated at over $5 billion. What is the growth potential in India?
India currently has approximately 900 million Internet users, with around 150 million paying for content.
As this user base exceeds 1 billion, the number of paying users is expected to rise to about 500 million. Among them, the market for vertical drama could reach around 300 million users, presenting a massive opportunity for us.
Q. What will the business model be for microdramas on Kuku TV? Will it look at avenues like brand promotions?
Right now it’s purely subscription based. We are yet to evaluate other business models or formats.
So currently users can not only access Kuku TV but all our other apps too with a single subscription which is priced at Rs 399 per quarter or Rs 1200 annually.
Q. Some microdramas have a gamification element. Will Kuku TV look at this?
I think you are talking about the coins or microtransactions model. We had experimented with the same but customers in India are not accustomed to it. So we will not have a gamification element as of now when it comes to payments at least.
Q. Is AI playing a big role in content creation of microdramas?
Yes. AI is used across all the steps involved while producing a microdrama however there is a massive need of human involvement for the creative inputs. We use AI for script testing, plot testing, subtitles and much more; however at every step we need human intervention to ensure that the overall plot or storyline is logical and engaging for users.
AI tends to hallucinate a lot hence if we solely depend on AI then the end result could be very incomprehensible for users.
Q. ReelShort was the first microdrama app to go global when it launched in 2022. Are there learnings from its success?
Yes we have been observing their growth quite keenly. First of all their growth is quite inspiring especially as a category creator and for introducing to the world a new format to consume entertainment. Given how they have been able to grow quickly in the US, create high quality stories with limited budgets and they have created the entire ecosystem around the world for this including actors, directors, writers and more is very inspiring.
A lot of creative talent which was often sidelined in the traditional film or OTT industry across the world is now basking under their new found fame. This is very encouraging to see. At Kuku TV we aim to also provide a platform for emerging creative talent to showcase their talents to the world and also showcase how good storytelling triumphs over everything else including large sets, actors or high production value.
