NBCUniversal Invests $80 Million in India's Rapidly Growing Microdrama Industry

2026, November 4

India / United States

NBCUniversal has joined an $80 million Series C investment round in Indian entertainment technology company EloElo Group, which operates the mobile microdrama platform Story TV. The funding round was co-led by NBCUniversal and India-focused investment firm Hornbill Capital, bringing EloElo's total funding to $130 million. Story TV currently offers more than 5,000 short dramas in six languages, with users spending an average of approximately 95 minutes daily on the platform.

The investment will support the production of original programmes in regional languages, international expansion beyond India, including into the United States, and further development of its artificial-intelligence production technology, Dolphin AI. The deal highlights the growing international entertainment industry's interest in microdramas: short, vertically filmed television-style episodes designed primarily for smartphone viewing. Research firm Omdia estimates that the global microdrama market could generate approximately $14 billion in revenue before the end of 2026.