Short drama format emerges as D2C marketing engine with 70-min sessions

Vertical short drama content gains traction in India with 1.5-2 min episodes stacking into 70-90 min shows. Average session times of 70 minutes double Instagram/TikTok engagement, prompting D2C brands to adopt it as primary marketing touchpoint and emerging retail discovery channel.

— FiledTue, 16 Jun, 2026, 17:06 IST·First seen Tue, 16 Jun, 2026, 17:06 IST·Source Inc42

What happened

Inc42 · Short drama format gaining traction in India with 70-minute average sessions, double that of Instagram/TikTok. D2C brands adopting it as primary

Key facts

  • 1.5-2 min episodes
  • 70-90 min shows
  • 70 min sessions
  • 20-30 min Instagram/TikTok

Why this matters

Scout short-drama production studios and platform operators in India before valuations price in the format's emergence as a primary D2C discovery channel.