Key facts
- JioHotstar's TADKA platform has crossed 100 million users.
- Daily watch time per viewer has increased fivefold since launch.
- TADKA offers vertical, episodic content between 30 and 60 seconds.
- More than 42% of TADKA's audience is below 24 years old.
- Content production is expanding to cities beyond traditional hubs.
JioHotstar's short-form content platform, TADKA, has surpassed 100 million users, signaling a growing trend in India for premium micro-content tailored for mobile consumption. The platform has seen a fivefold increase in daily watch time per viewer since its inception, indicating strong engagement with its short-format storytelling. TADKA features vertical, episodic content typically lasting between 30 and 60 seconds, spanning genres such as romance, drama, thrillers, comedy, sports, and youth-focused programming. It currently hosts over 100 original titles in languages including Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. The platform is particularly popular among younger demographics, with over 42% of its audience under the age of 24. Consumption is broadly distributed, with both metropolitan and Tier 2 cities contributing nearly 40% of the total watch time. This broad appeal underscores the widespread adoption of the format across urban and emerging markets. The rise of micro-content is also influencing content creation, with production teams now filming across a wider range of cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Indore, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai, thereby diversifying the stories and talent pool.Ambuj Kashyap, executive vice president for micro content at JioStar, noted that crossing 100 million users marks a significant inflection point in the evolution of streaming. He highlighted that evolving consumer behavior allows for storytelling to fit into more moments throughout the day, unlocking new creative possibilities and growth opportunities for the industry. This achievement comes as streaming services increasingly focus on differentiated formats and product-led experiences to enhance user engagement. JioHotstar, which boasts 500 million monthly active users globally and offers extensive content across 19 languages, is actively developing interactive and mobile-first features to retain its audience.