The Undeniable Rise of Snackable Content
India is in the grip of a short-form video revolution. According to a study by Meta and IPSOS, a staggering 97% of Indian consumers watch short-form videos daily, with Instagram Reels emerging as the clear favourite. For many, this has become a daily ritual,
with 95% of users watching Reels every single day. This habit is so powerful that it's reshaping the entire entertainment landscape. Industry experts note that audiences often spend 20 to 40 minutes at a time on Reels, a duration almost equivalent to a full TV episode, but consumed in thrilling, bite-sized chunks. This shift isn’t just about filling a few spare minutes; it's a fundamental change in how we prioritise our screen time.
The Psychology of the Scroll
Why are these short videos so compelling? The answer lies in our brains. Each quick, engaging video provides a small hit of dopamine, the pleasure chemical. This creates a feedback loop that encourages us to keep scrolling for the next reward. Contrast this with the commitment required for long-form content. Choosing a movie or a series on an OTT platform involves a decision, a time commitment, and a longer attention investment. Reels and other short-form videos remove that friction. The algorithm does the work, serving up a relentlessly personalised and seemingly endless stream of content tailored to your tastes, making it the path of least resistance to instant entertainment.
From Appetiser to Main Course
What began as a content 'snack' to fill in-between moments—like a commute or a tea break—is now becoming the main meal for many. This new format, sometimes called 'microdrama', is seen as the T20 of content: fast, exciting, and accessible. The sheer volume and variety, from dance challenges and comedy skits to fashion tips and tutorials, mean that viewers can feel fully entertained without ever leaving the feed. While one recent index suggests OTT still commands a larger portion of total screen time, it also highlights that short-form video takes up a significant 14% chunk, with Reels dominating that space. This intense engagement with short-form content often leaves less time and mental energy for the more deliberate viewing required by OTT platforms.
How the Entertainment Industry is Adapting
This behavioural shift has not gone unnoticed by the broader entertainment industry. OTT platforms, once seen as the ultimate disruptors, are now facing their own challenge. Some are fighting back by embracing the trend. Platforms like Zee5 and MX Player have experimented with their own microdrama apps, recognising the format's growing appeal. For many production houses, digital rights for films have become a primary revenue source, sometimes even outweighing theatrical returns. Meanwhile, the convenience of OTT means that while audiences return to cinemas for big-budget spectacles, many prefer to wait a few weeks for mid-budget films to land on streaming services. This creates a complex ecosystem where short-form video drives daily engagement, OTT platforms own the premium, appointment-viewing space, and cinemas cater to event-level experiences.
A New Cultural Centre of Gravity
Reels have become more than just an entertainment format; they are now a cultural engine in India. Trends in fashion, music, and language are born and amplified on the platform. For creators, it has become the most effective place to build an audience, with Instagram Reels delivering significantly higher engagement than other platforms. This has also made it a prime space for brands, with 80% of Indian users discovering new brands on Meta's platforms. Ads on Reels have been shown to deliver much stronger brand recall compared to traditional long-form video ads, cementing the platform's influence not just on culture, but on commerce as well.
