When filmmaker Abhash Singh began experimenting with Instagram Reels, it felt like a dare. The idea of telling a complete story in under 60 seconds was both restrictive and oddly liberating. “The short length felt brutally limiting at first. But weirdly, it’s those exact limits that made me focus, simplify, and find clarity faster,” he says. In May this year, his entry film—Kaalnirmaata—went viral, garnering over 2,00,000 views and more than 6,000 shares. This is the new world of independent filmmaking, brief, often dialogue-light, and built to meet the viewer mid-scroll.
Rosheena Zehra, Curator and Managing Editor of ShortedIndia, a platform dedicated to short films, has seen this shift up close. “Instagram Reels has fundamentally reshaped how we think about storytelling. The biggest shift is in prioritising the hook, the first three seconds can make or break a film. With limited time, every frame and sound bite has to earn its place. It forces creators to think visually, cut out fluff, and get straight to the emotion or idea,” she says. Shorted’s ‘60-Second Challenge’ saw an influx of entries from filmmakers across India. The competition also shined light on talent that often goes unseen in traditional circuits.
For Singh, the draw wasn’t just the potential reach, it was the challenge. In his words, “The challenge of capturing depth in about 60 seconds was too delicious to resist.” Singh realised that the tighter the canvas, the clearer his instincts became. The filmmaker doesn’t see short-form as a stepping stone or compromise. “If anything, it’s sharpening the blade,” he says.
The appeal of Reels also lies in its affordability. As Maulikta Kohli, the creator of Comic Curry puts it, “Instagram-first productions are far leaner; you can shoot something on your phone and still have it seen by thousands. That kind of access didn’t exist a decade ago.” Comic Curry thrives on minimalism and wit. Known for its offbeat, animated reels, it has created a distinct voice in the world of micro-storytelling, often using anthropomorphic objects and people as its protagonists. “It’s less about plot and more about tone,” says Kohli, adding, “We’re beginning to think that doomscrolling isn’t just distraction, it’s something deeper. Maybe it’s a subconscious longing for meaning in small, manageable doses. People are asking for micro-stories, something they can slip into and slip out of, without commitment, but with impact.”
At Cinefai Studios, Founder Shivam Sharma believes the real revolution is not just the format, but infrastructure. “When it comes to storytelling, Instagram is a distribution platform. But the real transformation is coming from GenAI,” he says. Cinefai is among the first to experiment with fully AI-assisted short films, combining generative visuals, audio, and scripting tools. “Earlier, the budget limited your vision. But with GenAI, the sky is the limit,” he says. Platforms like PocketFM and KukuFM are already tapping into this kind of hybrid storytelling.
Vertical filmmaking is also gaining traction in countries like China, Brazil, the US, and across Southeast Asia. Currently, the market, estimated at $5 billion in 2025, is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 15 per cent from 2025 to 2033, reaching approximately $15 billion by 2033. But Indian creators are bringing something distinct, a fusion of emotional storytelling, cultural nuance, and grassroots aesthetic that feels deeply rooted in the everyday.