Mumbai: Story TV, India’s microdrama platform, has appointed Manan Mehta as Senior Vice President – Content and Strategy, as it looks to accelerate investments in premium vertical storytelling and original intellectual property, marking its next phase of growth towards what it describes as “OTT 2.0.”
The appointment underscores Story TV’s strategy to bring mainstream creative talent, studio-scale storytelling and premium original IPs into India’s rapidly expanding vertical content ecosystem.
Mehta brings more than two decades of experience across business strategy, marketing and content, having worked with agencies including Leo Burnett, Taproot and Razorfish, before spending over 11 years at Yash Raj Films, where he played a key role in strengthening the studio’s brand and content marketing initiatives.
According to the company, vertical storytelling is emerging as one of the fastest-growing digital entertainment formats globally, with the Indian market projected to reach US$3 billion by 2030. Story TV says it currently serves an audience base of more than 100 million users and is focused on expanding the category through premium content and talent partnerships.
Welcoming Mehta to the company, Saurabh Pandey, Founder and CEO, Story TV, said, “We are entering what we see as OTT 2.0. The grammar of entertainment is changing, and vertical storytelling is emerging as one of its most powerful expressions. Our focus is to move microdramas from a niche to a full-fledged entertainment ecosystem. We are on a journey to build an ecosystem, where directors, writers, producers and top creative talent come together to define a new vertical-first language of storytelling that will scale both culturally and commercially.”
During his tenure at Yash Raj Films, Mehta worked closely with Aditya Chopra and led marketing and content strategy for more than 26 films, which together generated approximately ₹5,200 crore at the global box office.
Speaking about the appointment, Pandey added, “Manan joining Story TV strengthens our ambition to elevate vertical storytelling. His experience at Yash Raj Films brings studio-scale thinking and original storytelling which will go a long way into making micro dramas mainstream. His role will be key in bridging traditional storytelling with the new vertical-first world, deepening talent partnerships, and scaling premium IPs.”
In his new role, Mehta will lead Story TV’s strategy for developing premium vertical storytelling franchises, forging partnerships with actors, filmmakers and studios, and expanding the platform’s portfolio of original intellectual property.
Commenting on his new role, Manan Mehta, SVP – Strategy and Content, Story TV, said, “Micro Drama has already arrived but for premium vertical storytelling, there is no playbook that exists anywhere. And that’s exactly what excites me about this opportunity. Premium vertical storytelling is the next big shift in entertainment, and I’m thrilled to be part of building it with Saurabh and the entire team at Story TV.”
Since its launch in 2025, Story TV has focused on building a library of original microdrama content for mobile-first audiences. With Mehta’s appointment, the company aims to further strengthen its premium content strategy, creative partnerships and leadership in India’s emerging vertical storytelling segment.
