India’s video split: Short clips surge, long form holds ground

There’s no denying it: short-form video has taken over India’s internet. Reels, Shorts and Stories have become a conveyor belt of 15-second dopamine hits, forcing brands to trim campaigns into snack-sized clips.

But the bigger question is whether this signals the end of long-form content, or simply a recalibration of how Indians consume media.

India didn’t invent short-form content, but it embraced it with unmatched intensity. Three drivers explain this shift.

The first is data and devices. A Bain & Company report, India Online Videos – The Long and Short of It, projects that by 2025, 600–650 million Indians will consume short-form videos, spending an average of 55–60 minutes daily on them. Smartphone usage already averages 4.8 hours a day, with nearly an hour devoted to video, according to The Indian Express.

The second is cultural DNA and vernacular appeal. Punchy dialogues, jingles and trailers have long been part of Indian entertainment, making short bursts of storytelling feel natural. Short-form has taken deeper root in smaller towns, where lightweight, vernacular-friendly formats thrive.

Redseer reports that tier-2 and beyond towns in Bharat now accounts for 63% of short-form video engagement and 74% of user bases on user-generated content platforms, with users spending more than 30 minutes daily on regional content.

 

 

 

 

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At the same time, long-form in regional languages continues to scale rapidly — whether through PhysicsWallah’s Hindi classes or Telugu originals on Aha.

COVID-19 lockdowns accelerated content consumption and splintered attention spans. Short-form became both a coping mechanism and a form of communal sharing — fast, relatable and easily shareable.

This mix has created a self-sustaining ecosystem. Creators, micro-influencers, vernacular storytellers and platforms like Moj, Josh, MX TakaTak and Roposo have moved from the margins to the centre of digital culture.

The illusion of long-form’s demise

It is tempting to assume long-form is finished. After all, why would audiences sit through a six-minute brand film when they can scroll through reels? Yet long-form remains vital in specific contexts.

This is why companies need to invest in trust-building and brand authority. Higher-involvement products such as financial services or premium goods still rely on long-form.

Blogs, explainers and founder-led storytelling build the credibility short clips cannot. Indian D2C players like BoAt and Mamaearth continue to release testimonial videos and brand films to strengthen consumer trust.

Narrative-driven campaigns, with premium storytelling and event-driven content, which feel like cultural moments remain viable. Cred’s cinematic ads or Zomato’s extended YouTube films, often running beyond two minutes, are widely shared.

Long-form continues to dominate educational and knowledge-based content. Unacademy, Byju’s, podcast creators and tech reviewers rely on extended formats to explain, debate and demonstrate for constructing communities, learning and deep interest areas.

In essence, long-form has not disappeared but has been redeployed strategically. Where it builds trust, educates or creates cultural cachet, it remains indispensable.

The consumption split underscores this. Meta-Ipsos recently reported that 97% of Indian consumers watch short-form videos daily across platforms, compared to about 83% who watch television. Yet long-form continues to attract niche but highly engaged audiences.

The evolution of formats

The interplay between short and long-form is also visible in how brands are adopting technology. Augmented reality and virtual reality are reshaping content experiences in ways that blur format boundaries.

Lenskart’s ‘Try-On’ feature allows customers to virtually test eyewear on their faces. Asian Paints’ Colour Visualizer lets homeowners preview paint colours and finishes. Both are examples of immersive experiences that extend beyond a reel while retaining the immediacy consumers expect.

Campaigns that combine long-form storytelling with quick, snackable extensions are becoming the norm. Swiggy Instamart’s bite-sized reels emphasise speed and recall, while longer brand assets continue to underpin trust and relevance.

Looking ahead, several predictions emerge for India’s video future. Topping the list is that short-form will peak, not plateau. By the end of 2025, Indians are expected to spend 55–60 minutes daily on short-form content, according to Bain & Company. But by 2030, attention fatigue may drive demand for more contextual and interactive narratives.

It is also evident that AI will redefine content creation. Generative AI especially will enable one long shoot to produce hundreds of customised reels for segmented audiences. Indian agencies are already experimenting with FMCG campaigns, slicing long-form films into region-specific edits.

Immersive long-form will return. AR and VR may restore premium value to long-form.

The funnel will also solidify. Short-form will dominate awareness, while long-form will drive trust and conversion. Brands such as Cred already balance cinematic ads with meme-friendly snippets, showing that formats can complement rather than compete.

The balancing act

India’s digital video landscape is not a zero-sum contest between formats. Short-form provides reach and immediacy; long-form delivers authority and depth. The challenge for brands and agencies is to master the rhythm between the two.

The bottom line is that 15-second stories aren’t replacing long-form; they’re reshaping its role. In India’s digital future, short-form is the hook, long-form is the depth, and the smartest brands will master the rhythm between the two.

The key question is not whether long-form will die, but whether brands will recognise when to go short and when to go long. By 2030, consumers are unlikely to reward brevity alone. They will reward meaning — and the brands that know how to balance brevity with substance will set the pace in India’s digital marketplace.

- Manasvita Subramanian, chief-digital marketing of Spicetree Digital Agency.