MUMBAI: Zee is betting that bigger things can come in very small packages. The entertainment company is turning to micro-dramas and short-form storytelling as a new growth opportunity, with plans to scale micro-content as a format in FY27 as viewing habits shift towards shorter, mobile-first entertainment.
Zee launched Bullet, its mobile-first, AI-powered micro-drama and short-form entertainment platform, in July 2025. The app has now crossed 10 million downloads, giving the company an early indication that its push into bite-sized entertainment is finding an audience.
Targeted at Gen Z and millennial viewers, Bullet combines short-form storytelling with a gamified viewing experience. Zee is positioning micro-content alongside KidZ, its children-focused proposition, as part of a wider effort to build new audience segments beyond traditional television and long-form streaming.
The strategy comes as Zee looks to make its digital business a larger part of its growth story. Its digital business, including ZEE5, reached Rs 14,888 million in FY26, growing at a 27 per cent CAGR since FY24.
Zee’s FY27 plan goes a step beyond experimenting with the format. The company intends to build micro-content into a scalable proposition, while continuing to strengthen language-led OTT offerings across priority markets.
The wider digital ecosystem gives Zee plenty of content to work with. In FY26, ZEE5 released 127 shows and movies, including 34 originals, while its revenue grew 53 per cent year on year. The digital business also achieved adjusted EBITDA breakeven during the year.
Zee says its broader omnichannel strategy has helped it reach more than 800 million monthly unique viewers, with its digital portfolio spanning originals, films, television programming, live channels, music and on-demand content.
The company is also widening its reach among younger and niche audiences. KidZ, launched on ZEE5 in November 2025, has recorded more than 60 million views and 240 million watch-time minutes. Alongside micro-content, Zee is looking to expand regional and emerging sports, music and international offerings.
For Bullet, however, the next challenge is turning downloads into a durable business. Its 10 million-plus downloads offer an early audience signal, but Zee’s FY27 ambition will depend on whether micro-dramas can move from a promising experiment to a repeatable format with sustainable engagement and monetisation.
In other words, Zee is no longer just making content shorter, it is testing whether small screens and even smaller stories can deliver a much bigger growth opportunity.
