Story TV has hired former Yash Raj Films executive Manan Mehta as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Content. This strategic appointment aims to scale the platform's vertical-first entertainment library, which now exceeds 1,500 shows since its 2025 launch. Investors may monitor how this leadership change impacts user growth and content monetization in the emerging micro-drama sector.
Story TV, a micro-drama platform operating under the Eloelo group, has appointed Manan Mehta as its Senior Vice President of Strategy and Content. Mehta joins the company following a long tenure as the Senior Vice President of Marketing at Yash Raj Films, where he contributed to the marketing and content strategy of over twenty-six films that earned approximately ₹5,200 crore in global box office revenue.
Strategic Shift to Vertical Entertainment
Founder and CEO Saurabh Pandey described the appointment as a move to evolve the micro-drama format from a niche digital offering into a structured entertainment ecosystem. The company is positioning itself for what it calls "OTT 2.0," focusing on vertical storytelling designed specifically for mobile consumption. By bringing in talent with a background in traditional, high-budget film production, Story TV aims to bridge the gap between conventional cinema narratives and the rapid-consumption patterns of vertical digital content.
Scaling the Content Library
Since its inception in 2025, Story TV has focused on building a significant volume of content, reporting a library of more than 1,500 shows. The platform currently uses this library to attract users who prefer shorter, vertical-first narratives. With the addition of Mehta, the company intends to refine its content development process and expand its roster of directors, writers, and producers to scale its intellectual properties more effectively.
Market Dynamics and Future Growth
The micro-drama industry is part of a broader shift in digital entertainment as platforms look for ways to capture user attention in short, addictive bursts. While the sector is in its early stages of monetization in India, industry projections suggest a significant market opportunity, with estimates placing the potential size of vertical storytelling content at US$3 billion by 2030.
For investors, the growth of platforms like Story TV remains tied to their ability to sustain user engagement and develop a profitable model for monetizing short-form content. As the industry lacks a long-standing historical playbook, the focus will be on whether these platforms can achieve profitability through subscription models, advertising, or alternative revenue streams. The next phase for Story TV will likely involve proving that its high-volume content strategy can lead to consistent viewership and revenue growth in an increasingly crowded digital entertainment landscape.