New Delhi, May 2 -- What do Sasural Murder Ka, Gumshuda Billionaire and Arabpati Ka Badla have in common? They're all microdramas, a new digital storytelling sensation that has spawned a multi-billion dollar industry. These are addictive, professionally-produced, vertically-shot series designed for mobile viewing, with each title comprising of 50-100 episodes of around a minute each-roughly the length of a feature film.

The format first emerged in China in 2018 and has grown increasingly popular over the last few years in other global markets. One report by Bloomberg states that China now churns out more than 5,000 microdrama series a year. The rapidly expanding industry earned close to $7 billion last year, surpassing China's theatrical...