Latest news with #Lalani
Mint
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Micro-drama startups are vying with Reels and Shorts for screen time
Manisha, a 37-year-old domestic worker, boards a local train every morning from Sion to Dadar in Mumbai—her short 10-minute ride serving as a sanctuary removed from the humdrum and chaos of the day. Like many urban Indians, her wait time is also her watch time. On her smartphone screen, between jostling elbows and station stops, she watches short-form videos—sometimes a quick reel, sometimes a bite-sized soap opera on YouTube. While Reels and Shorts dominate screen time during commutes and idle moments, the human pull towards compelling stories remains strong. 'These few minutes are mine, I don't have time for full shows," said Manisha. This behaviour—short bursts of downtime spent snacking content—is precisely what a new wave of Indian startups is trying to tap into. Micro-dramas, 2 to 3-minute serialized episodes packed with plot twists and emotional payoffs, are vying for eyeballs that would otherwise be doomscrolling through Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. 'We want to borrow time from Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts," says Kushal Singhal, founder of Flick TV, which recently raised $2.3 million in a funding round led by Stellaris Venture Partners. 'Storytelling was missing in snackable time. Everyone was consuming reels and shorts, but they weren't remembering them." A Flick TV series packs 50–60 micro-episodes, each 2–3-minute long—designed to fit into commute windows, tea breaks, or lunch lulls. Inspired by China's 3-7-21 content formula—scene changes every 3 seconds, hook every 7, and emotion shifts every 21—these bite-sized sagas aim to turn passive scrolling into active engagement. Also read | Instagram's 'Blend' lets friends share Reels; influencers see audience surge While 70% of India's video consumption now happens on mobile, attention spans have plunged. 'We're adapting storytelling to fit the new attention window," says Singhal. 'The audience hasn't disappeared—they've just changed formats." Unlike traditional user-generated content (UGC), these platforms focus on Professionally Generated Content (PGC) across genres like love, crime, heartbreak, and fantasy. The audience is largely commuters, shopkeepers, and housewives—people with 'wait time," not 'spare time." Another entrant, Bullet, co-founded by Azim Lalani and backed by Zee Entertainment, is going even deeper beyond metros to tier-2 and tier-3 towns. Bullet is preparing to launch in seven regional languages across India. 'This is the same audience that used to watch 30-minute soap operas—now they want that in two minutes," says Lalani. Each Bullet story spans 60–100 minutes, with serialised episodes running between 60 and 120 seconds. Moreover, Lalani emphasised their focus on culturally-resonant content. 'We don't want to show a lot of things which are not acceptable as Indian culture," he said. Read this | Shorts and reels make Netflix to Amazon Prime sweat Gamified mechanics let users unlock episodes via daily check-ins, referrals, and earned tokens. 'It's not just content—it's entertainment layered with game design, affordability, and personalization," Lalani explains. Monetisation remains a challenge Despite the promise that short videos hold, monetization remains the single biggest challenge for micro-drama platforms. 'Advertising is constrained by India's low cost per mille (CPMs), and subscriptions rarely work for short-form content. Micro-payments may hold promise—but they remain unproven at scale," says Ashish Pherwani, partner, media and entertainment at EY India. Advertising revenues alone may not be enough to sustain high-quality micro-drama production, he added. Bullet and Flick TV both plan to experiment with micro-payment models—users can unlock episodes individually or opt into flexible subscription packs. Brand integrations and narrative-based product placements are also being explored as alternative revenue streams. 'There's a belief that good content is platform-agnostic," says Pherwani. 'But short-form alone doesn't guarantee stickiness. You need compelling stories, not just format." Also read | Long-format content consumption growing on YouTube in India as connected TV penetration deepens Newer entrants are building with a tech-first and data-backed approach. 'The real moat is on the supply side: content velocity and hit rate," says Mayank Jain, principal at Stellaris Venture Partners, adding that this category won't be built on branded talent or stars—it'll be built on compelling storylines and high-volume original content. Bullet is already building a Customer Data Platform (CDP) from day one to track viewer behaviour, content preferences, and monetisation trends. 'Once you have this data, it will lead to better personalization and pricing strategies," says Lalani. Format is the wrapper, story is the core According to Tracxn data and Mint research, short-form video platforms in India are surging in 2025. Reel Saga, founded in 2024, has more than 50,000 downloads and raised $2.1M from Picus Capital. Flick TV crossed 50,00,000 downloads, while Reelies has downloads in excess of 500,000, more than 3,000 monthly content hours from 450,000 users, and viral hits like Contract Marriage with 3.5 million views. Kuku TV, launched by Kuku FM in 2025, crossed 5 million beta downloads, offering 2-min vertical dramas powered by its 45,00,000 million paying audio user base. However, industry veterans caution against chasing format fads. 'Micro-dramas are not new—we're just calling them something else," says Pherwani. 'What matters is the story. A strong IP should be adaptable to any format—film, audio, series, or short," he added. And read | Content studios turn to YouTube to launch new originals despite surge in premium streaming platforms But even as platforms fight for seconds of screen time, the goal remains simple: deliver emotional payoff in the least amount of time possible. As Lalani puts it, 'It's not spare time—it's wait time. And that's now becoming entertainment time."
Politico
10-06-2025
- Business
- Politico
Come on, come all
Presented by The Canadian Medical Association Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Welcome to Canada Playbook. In today's edition: → The Saudis crack MARK CARNEY's invite list for Kananaskis. → A new Angus Reid poll shows major Canadian support for more defense spending. → MPs elect a pivotal committee chair this afternoon. Trade war OPEN INVITATION — This guy's foreign policy isn't like the last guy's foreign policy. Prime Minister MARK CARNEY is trying to turn the page on Canada's most complicated relationships of the Trudeau era. The PM wants to normalize relations with China. Indian PM NARENDRA MODI is coming to Kananaskis this weekend. Carney has also extended a G7 invite to Saudi Arabia Crown Prince MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN. No word on whether or not the Saudis will make the trip. But the invite appears to be a signal. — Mission statement: ARIF LALANI, a senior adviser at StrategyCorp and former Canadian diplomat, advised Ottawa in 2023 to reset relations with India and China. Lalani sees Carney's moves as an acknowledgment that Canada can't deal only with liberal democracies amid tectonic geopolitical shifts. 'You have to be intellectually and diplomatically uncomfortable, but that doesn't mean you can't tell right from wrong,' said Lalani, Canada's former top envoy in Iraq, Jordan and Afghanistan. 'You can still act with your values, but you've got to deal with the world as you find it.' — Throw the doors open: Lalani says the G7 risks drifting into irrelevance if it closes the door to some of the world's most influential non-members. 'Trump has just accelerated this idea that the G7, which used to be the governing board of the world, is now really just a club,' said Lalani. 'It cannot help to govern the economy of the world if India, Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are not there.' — Follow the money: Lalani flagged the Gulf states as key opportunities for Canadians looking for foreign investors. 'That's where the available pools of finance that Europe and Canada need are.' SAUDIS CALLING — DARRYL WILLIAMS, the president of BC Steel, recently registered to lobby the federal government on behalf of the Saudi Investment Bank. — Origin story: Williams first met the Saudi bankers when they approached him as a potential investor in a B.C.-based steel company. He goes back a long way with MOHAMMED SALEH AL-KHALIL, the bank's vice chair, who was Williams' best man. — Next steps: These days, the Saudi bank is keen on investing in major Canadian projects, including pipelines and other infrastructure, Williams told Playbook over the phone. They've enlisted him to dig for deals. The Saudis' new pitch man plans to travel to Ottawa later this month to spread the SAIB's gospel among senior bureaucrats: 'I'll just be walking the hallways, talking with people, leaving business cards, leaving them information, and if they're interested, they can talk.' For your radar PONYING UP — A new survey says most Canadians are just fine throwing billions of dollars at national defense — surely welcome news to a prime minister who announced Monday that Canada would hit NATO's spending target years ahead of schedule. The Angus Reid Institute survey shows Canadians largely support the PM's decision to spend 2 percent of GDP on national defense before the fiscal year is out. — In Carney's corner: Slightly more than half of Canadians (51 percent) want to hit the NATO benchmark, with another 17 percent signing off on even more military cash. — Party breakdown: Three-quarters of Conservative voters support meeting or exceeding the target — the most of any partisan affiliation. A year ago, half of Liberal voters were onside with a major boost. Now, 70 percent are onboard. NDP support jumped from 38 percent to 51 percent in the same timeframe. Support among Bloc Québécois voters stands at 55 percent — a 10-point drop since 2024. — The numbers: The Liberals unveiled supplementary estimates Monday that require parliamentary approval. The plan is to add C$9.3 billion to the current C$53.4 billion. It all adds up to C$62.7 billion in the 2025-26 fiscal year. — Music to alliance ears: NATO Secretary General MARK RUTTE recently delivered a stark message to the western alliance: 'We're all on the eastern flank now,' he said Monday, referring to proximity to Russian aggression. During a speech at Chatham House in London, Rutte warned that Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN could launch an attack against NATO by 2030. → The Royal Canadian Legion welcomed Carney's announcement as a 'significant milestone.' — Music to business ears: CANDACE LAING, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, gave the thumb's up: 'If we want to be taken seriously at the NATO and G7 Summits, this is the price of admission.' Where the leaders are — Prime Minister MARK CARNEY will chair Cabinet at 10 a.m. At 12:30 p.m., he'll attend a flag raising ceremony on Parliament Hill to mark the start of Pride Season. Carney will also attend question period. THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — Canada 2020 convenes a sold out, day-long conference at the Château Laurier: 'From Ambition to Action: Getting Big Things Done.' At 8:15 a.m., EVAN SOLOMON delivers his first high-profile remarks as minister in a keynote and fireside chat. — Three MPs will offer support at an 11 a.m. press conference for the Global March to Gaza: Liberal SALMA ZAHID, New Democrat ALEXANDRE BOULERICE and Green Leader ELIZABETH MAY. — At 4 p.m., Industry Minister MÉLANIE JOLY will participate in a fireside chat with Globe and Mail automotive reporter PETRINA GENTILE during the Canada Automotive Summit in Vaughan, Ontario. Want more POLITICO? Download our mobile app to save stories, get notifications on U.S.-Canada relations, and more. In iOS or Android. ON THE HILL OPPO DAYS — The Bloc Québécois takes its turn in the House spotlight today with a non-binding opposition motion unveiled by CHRISTINE NORMANDIN. — Carbon pricing: The Bloc wants Ottawa to send Quebecers a combined C$814 million in compensation for federal carbon rebate checks that arrived in many Canadian bank accounts in April — but not in Quebec. Quebecers didn't receive federal checks because their provincial government manages its own carbon pricing regime. But they still paid for them, the Bloc insists, with their federal tax dollars. MPs will vote on the Bloc motion tomorrow. — Also today: The House will vote today on Monday's Conservative motion that calls on the government to unveil a 'fiscally responsible budget' before the summer — the second non-binding CPC attempt to shame Liberals into expediting their plans to publish a fall budget. BIG CHAIR — The Procedure and House Affairs Committee meets at 3:30 p.m. to elect a chair — a high-profile gig for a Liberal MP left out of the ministry or parlsec roster. — Busy workload: 'PROC,' as it's known around the Hill, is the first stop for contentious privilege motions that the House decides to study in more detail. Recent chairs include BEN CARR, BARDISH CHAGGER and RUBY SAHOTA. — Count them out: One of the Liberals around the table will emerge as chair, though some are ineligible: ARIELLE KAYABAGA was recently named deputy government House leader to STEVEN MACKINNON; ÉLISABETH BRIÈRE is deputy government whip; and TIM LOUIS is parlsec to Canada-U.S. Trade Minister DOMINIC LEBLANC. — Options that remain: St. Catharines MP CHRIS BITTLE and former House Speaker GREG FERGUS. Both have served previous stints on the committee. MORNING MUST-CLICKS — Top of POLITICO this morning: 'A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy': How the Clash in LA Could Explode — U.K. Prime Minister KEIR STARMER to visit Canada amid Trump threats, The Telegraph reports. — From CBC's MURRAY BREWSTER: 'Afghan-Canadian combat advisers launch discrimination suit against Department of National Defence' — The Canadian Press previews the latest round of federal auditor general reports, due out this morning. — In the latest 'Curse of Politics' podcast, host DAVID HERLE breaks down why it feels like 1995 all over again: 'You had a Liberal government doing things that Conservatives previously had promised to do but not had been able to do. … There were no New Democrats in the House of Commons … and the official opposition is urging the government to go faster than it is going on all of the measures.' — Ontario Premier DOUG FORD is now the most popular conservative in Canada, PHILIPPE J. FOURNIER writes in The Walrus. PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to Conservative MP DAVE EPP; DG STRINGER, principal secretary to Ottawa Mayor MARK SUTCLIFFE; and JAMES MOORE, senior adviser at Edelman. Former Sen. VICTOR OH and former NDP MP PIERRE NANTEL also celebrate, alongside Bluesky's MANUELA BOEIRA and Crestview's ANDREW BRANDER. Spotted: U.S. Ambassador to Canada PETE HOEKSTRA, thanking Premier DANIELLE SMITH after Alberta resumed buying U.S. alcohol and gambling machines. Lobby watch: News Media Canada posted a meeting today with Canadian Identity Minister STEVEN GUILBEAULT … Alar Strategy Group's RICHARD MAKSYMETZ posted a spate of meetings on behalf of Svante, a carbon capture and removal provider. Among the targets: Energy and Natural Resources Minister TIM HODGSON, Natural Resources Deputy Minister MICHAEL VANDERGRIFT, PMO policy adviser JOSHUA SWIFT, and Finance bureaucrats SUZY MCDONALD and MIODRAG JOVANOVIC. Got a document to share? A birthday coming up? Send it all our way. PROZONE Our latest policy newsletter for Pro subscribers by MIKE BLANCHFIELD and MICKEY DJURIC: Canada plans exit from NATO spending cellar. The latest headlines for our paid subscribers: — Trump may have to choose: Making trade deals or keeping his car tariffs. — Central US grid could face power deficit by summer 2027. — 'Perfect storm.' Solar industry shrinks growth forecasts. — Republicans want US companies to hack back against China. TRIVIA Monday's answer: Ten members will sit on Liberal-chaired committees in the House of Commons. Props to CHRIS LALANDE, JOHN PEPPER, MARCEL MARCOTTE, WAYNE EASTER, JOHN ECKER, DAVE EPP, CHRISTINA DE TONI, BEN BROWN CLEMENTS, GORDON RANDALL, MALCOLM MCKAY, ELIZABETH BURN, COLIN MCKONE and JASON DEVEAU. Today's question: Which longtime Burnaby MP lost federal comeback bids in 2006 and 2019? Answers to canadaplaybook@ . Wednesday's Playbook will be written by MICKEY DJURIC and NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY. Canada Playbook would not happen without: Canada Editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and POLITICO's Grace Maalouf.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Zee Entertainment Partners With Bullet for Indian Micro-Drama App
Zee Entertainment Enterprises is betting big on micro-dramas as the next frontier in Indian digital entertainment, revealing a strategic equity partnership with startup Bullet to launch a micro-drama application. The Mumbai-based media giant will invest in and acquire a stake in Bullet, which has been co-founded by serial entrepreneurs Azim Lalani and Saurabh Kushwah. The new platform will be integrated within Zee's ZEE5 ecosystem, giving it immediate access to the streaming service's established user base. More from Variety 'Naruto' Storms Into Indian Cinemas With First-Ever Theatrical Release, Trailer Unveiled (EXCLUSIVE) Roy Kapur Films, Digital Platform Pratilipi Partner to Bring Indian Stories to Screen, Beginning With Courtroom Drama 'Charitraheen' (EXCLUSIVE) Australia-India Financing Venture Southern Sitara Bows at Cannes Market With Cross-Cultural Slate (EXCLUSIVE) Bullet is designed around short-duration vertical format episodes that target younger audiences with 'fast-paced, creator-driven content.' The platform aims to deliver what Lalani calls 'masala-paced plots and emotional punch, tailored for binge-watching in short bursts.' India is relatively new to the micro-drama trend compared to neighbor China, where revenue from the format was $6.9 billion, exceeding local box office for the first time, per DataEye statistics. Multiple projections point to the market size for micro-dramas rising to $14 billion by 2028 in China alone. Zee's strategic move comes as Indian audiences increasingly gravitate toward bite-sized content consumption, particularly on mobile devices. The company sees the partnership as part of its broader transformation into what it calls a 'Content & Technology powerhouse.' 'As the digital ecosystem grows exponentially, we are constantly identifying several value-accretive opportunities to drive scale,' said a Zee spokesperson. 'Our strategic partnership with Bullet aims to build a competitive advantage for the future by identifying innovative formats and scaling them through our platforms to drive stronger monetization.' The Bullet app will leverage several features including AI-powered personalization and content pricing, gamification layers designed to boost user retention through reward mechanisms, and creator-generated content pipelines that allow independent creators and studios to monetize their work. Both Bullet co-founders bring significant media industry experience to the venture. Lalani has over 25 years in the industry, having held leadership positions at Network18, TV9, and Indian Express. Kushwah, a media-tech entrepreneur with 18 years of experience, has worked across Zee Entertainment, Times of India, Network18, and ABP News. Both were founding members of Fanory, a creator monetization startup backed by marquee investors. 'Having witnessed multiple content revolutions over the past two decades, I believe we are now at the cusp of the next big shift,' Lalani said. 'There has been an influx of short-form content consumption over the last few years, and with the launch of Bullet, we aim to combine the novelty of the format with fast-paced captivating stories for users.' Kushwah added: 'The convergence of creators, technology, and storytelling is reshaping digital entertainment. At Bullet, we are building a platform that not only entertains but also enables. With gamified layers, AI-backed content ops, and a creator-first ecosystem, we're shaping the future of micro-drama in India – and beyond.' The app will be available across multiple languages, tapping into Zee's extensive content engine and language repertoire. This multi-lingual approach aligns with the growing demand for regional content across India's diverse market. Best of Variety 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Animated Program — Can Netflix Score Big With 'Arcane,' 'Devil May Cry' and the Final Season of 'Big Mouth?'
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Database for disasters? Texas bill aims to up emergency preparedness in senior living
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Through summer heat and winter storms in recent years, state lawmakers have often weighed how to best keep older Texans safe during power outages. Devastation during Hurricane Beryl in 2024 revived the push for more backup power generation and other emergency preparedness efforts. Dr. Suleman Lalani, D-Sugar Land, said his constituents reported 'heartbreaking' stories about older people 'left completely alone' in independent senior living facilities and complexes during the summer storm. BACKGROUND: Push to require backup generators at senior living facilities after Texas winter storm 'Abandoned by property managers, and the families feeling misled or betrayed,' he told lawmakers on the House Human Services Committee this week. 'Imagine an elderly grandmother on a fixed income, trapped alone on the fourth floor of a building because the elevators no longer worked.' The committee heard testimony on Tuesday about Lalani's proposal to create a statewide database of emergency preparedness plans for senior living complexes. He said he is particularly concerned with independent senior living facilities, which are not regulated by the state in the same way as nursing homes or assisted living but often market to people ages 55 or 65 and older. Protecting seniors in storms: Texas lawmakers eye emergency preparedness after Beryl In an interview last fall about the proposed legislation, now known as HB 863, Lalani told KXAN he believes a database of these health and safety plans could help state and local first responders or emergency management agencies better coordinate their response to these facilities during disasters. 'We are talking about seniors that have disabilities. They have challenges; they have chronic illnesses. We had people with amputations stuck on the third floor. We had people with memory impairment,' he told KXAN at the time. MORE: How many Texas senior living facilities have backup power? HHSC reveals survey results Carmen Tilton, the Vice President of Public Policy at the Texas Assisted Living Association, testified against the bill this week. She said the bill, as written, directs landlords to do more than they legally can or should. She pointed to parts of the Texas Property Code, that regulates landlord-tenant relationships, and said if landlords are providing a certain level of care to older tenants, they would essentially need to be licensed as a long-term care facility and regulated further by the state. 'This is a significant shift in how the Texas legislature has traditionally viewed the relationship between a landlord and a tenant. The expectation in an independent living facility is that the resident is 'independent.' In that independence, it is expected that a resident would manage their own personal needs, even during an emergency event,' she said. PREVIOUS: Some Austin nursing homes, assisted living facilities still without power She also noted concerns about a provision in the bill that would also require these independent facilities to have an emergency generator or another source of backup power. For years, KXAN investigators have followed efforts to require more backup power at places where older people live. Some types of facilities are already required to have a certain amount of backup generation in at least parts of the building, but many previous efforts to increase or expand these requirements have failed. Opponents of these efforts, including Tilton and the association, argue the move is cost-prohibitive and not practical for many smaller homes. In 2022, Tilton told KXAN investigators, 'You can't just put forth this mandate and expect everybody to make it, particularly when some of our providers in rural and underserved communities are just barely hanging on.' RELATED: After Hurricane Beryl, Texas lawmakers push for generators at senior living facilities She reiterated those concerns in Tuesday's hearing about the impact of increased regulation on an already strained supply of facilities to care for Texas' growing older population. Tilton and a representative from LeadingAge both applauded parts of the bill that aimed to improve communication and assistance to these types of locations during disasters. They said their organizations would be open to working with Lalani. The bill's author insisted the state could not 'do nothing.' 'HB 863 is not just a wish or a want. It is a desperate need,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
