Mumbai: ReelSaga, a next-generation mobile entertainment startup, has raised $2.1 million in a Seed funding round led by Picus Capital, with participation from ITI Growth Opportunities Fund, Nazara Technologies, 8i Ventures, Waveform Ventures, Warmup Ventures, Bombay54, Bharat Founders Fund, and several prominent angel investors. The platform is pioneering India’s first microdrama app, tapping into the global boom of vertical short-format fiction content.
Founded in 2024 by serial entrepreneurs Shubh Bansal, Shanu Vivek, and Ritesh Pandey—all co-founders of Truebil (acquired by Spinny)—ReelSaga aims to redefine mobile entertainment for the mobile-first generation in India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. The newly raised capital will be used to scale app development and fund high-quality, hyper-localized microdrama content.
“Vertical short dramas are a cultural revolution. More and more users are turning to short-form video for entertainment. It’s quick, emotionally resonant, and binge-worthy — drama doesn’t need to be 40 minutes long to move you,” said Shubh Bansal, Co-founder and CEO of ReelSaga.
“We’re using data science and product innovations to push the boundaries of short-form video, delivering hyper-personalized, mobile-first storytelling that resonates deeply with our audience,” added Shanu Vivek, Co-founder & Head of Product and Data.
Microdramas—short-form narrative series typically viewed vertically on mobile—have become a dominant format in international markets. In China alone, over 5,000 microdrama series are produced annually, with revenues now surpassing traditional box office earnings. ReelSaga seeks to bring this phenomenon to India through localized storytelling, delivered in tightly-scripted arcs of 50–100 episodes.
“We’re excited to back ReelSaga as they pioneer an entirely new category of storytelling in India,” said Abhijay Thacker, Senior Vice President at Picus Capital. “The team brings a rare combination of hustle, clarity, and creative ambition. Microdramas are not just a passing trend — they’re poised to become the default format for an entire generation of mobile viewers. We believe ReelSaga can lead that shift.”
“ReelSaga is building where the market is going — mobile-first, story-rich, and culturally rooted. The format is fresh, the vision is bold, and the team knows how to execute. We see them defining a whole new category for Indian entertainment,” added Mohit Gulati, Managing Partner at ITI Growth.
With its app now live, ReelSaga is set to tap into a $10+ billion digital entertainment opportunity across emerging markets. As storytelling evolves in the age of vertical screens, ReelSaga is positioning itself at the intersection of tech, culture, and content—offering emotionally engaging, bite-sized fiction for the next billion mobile viewers.
