Team Startupcity

• 5 million from Info Edge Ventures, General Catalyst, and top angel investors to launch a new OTT platform, Chai Shots.
• Chai Shots will deliver short-form fictional content in Telugu initially, expanding to Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada with 100+ original shows in six months.
• Targeting Gen Z and Tier 2–3 audiences, the app aims to lead India’s emerging microdrama space with emotionally engaging, mobile-first storytelling.

Chai Bisket, a leading regional digital content startup, has raised $5 million in seed funding from Info Edge Ventures and General Catalyst to fuel the launch of Chai Shots, a mobile-first OTT platform focused exclusively on short-form fictional storytelling, or 'microdramas'.

Founded in 2015 by Sharath Chandra and Anurag Reddy, Chai Bisket is widely known for its Telugu-language media content and has garnered over 2 billion views across its YouTube channels. The platform currently sees over 50 million monthly video views, powered by a content team of more than 100.

Chai Shots, their new venture, aims to ride the wave of shrinking attention spans and rising mobile content consumption by delivering two-minute serialised episodes designed for Gen Z and users in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. The app is set to roll out initially in Telugu, with expansion plans into Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada.

Krishna Mohan Varma, a seasoned technologist, joins the founding team as cofounder, leading the tech development for the platform. Chai Shots plans to launch with over 100 original shows in its first six months, promising content rooted in emotional depth and regional identity.

In addition to the lead investors, the round saw participation from a high-profile group of angel investors including actor Rana Daggubati, Swiggy cofounders Sri Harsha Majety and Nandan Reddy, RedBus founder Phanindra Sama, and PhysicsWallah founders Alakh Pandey and Prateek Maheshwari, among others.

Globally, the microdrama format is gaining momentum with platforms like iQIYI, DramaBox, and ReelShort in China leading the trend. In India, players like Flick TV, Kuku TV, ReelSaga, and even Amazon and Zee Entertainment are exploring the space.

“Microdramas in regional languages are showing real monetization potential. There’s a strong emotional connection and high willingness to pay for original storytelling”, said Kitty Agarwal, Partner at Info Edge Ventures.

With Chai Shots, Chai Bisket is poised to become a regional content powerhouse, reshaping the OTT landscape with bite-sized fiction for the mobile generation.