As Micro-Drama Scales, Vicky Bahri, Harman Baweja And Dev Gupta Chart A Different Path With KLIP

As India’s short-form content market continues to expand, a new set of founders is beginning to shape how the category evolves. Among them is KLIP, a micro-drama platform founded by filmmakers and content creators who are approaching the space from a storytelling lens rather than a purely technological one.

At the centre of this approach are Vicky Bahri and Harman Baweja, both of whom bring a cumulative 5 plus decades of experience in film, production and long-form storytelling. Their work across feature films, web series and international collaborations has shaped a deep understanding of narrative structure, audience engagement and content quality. This background strengthens KLIP’s positioning as a content-first platform in a segment often driven by speed and scale.

The founders’ entry into micro-drama comes at a time when the category is witnessing rapid growth, but also increasing fragmentation. Much of the current ecosystem relies on high-volume output or adapted formats, often prioritising frequency over narrative continuity. KLIP’s approach seeks to address this gap by building short-form content that retains the discipline of long-form storytelling.

Each show on the platform is structured as a series of short episodes that contribute to a larger narrative arc, designed to create continuity and encourage repeat viewing. This focus on progression and emotional payoff is central to how the platform approaches user retention. Rather than relying solely on discovery through algorithms, KLIP is building a model where storytelling itself drives engagement.

Supporting this is a growing content pipeline and early traction. Within the first few weeks of launch, the platform has crossed 250,000 installs and over 50,000 monthly active users, reflecting early adoption among audiences seeking more structured short-form content. Celebrity-led storytelling and culturally relevant narratives have also contributed to organic reach and user engagement.

On the growth and distribution front, the company is leveraging a mix of performance-led marketing and strategic partnerships, led by co-founder and strategy head Dev Gupta. “Retention is the hardest problem in this category, anyone can get an install. What keeps users coming back to KLIP is the content itself: serialised cliffhangers that make leaving feel like a cost, celebrity IP that creates real parasocial pull, and stories localised deeply enough that audiences feel seen. We're not relying on the standard playbook,” shares Gupta.

KLIP’s distribution strategy includes OEM integrations and platform partnerships that extend its reach beyond traditional app discovery channels, particularly among mobile-first audiences. The platform also incorporates an AI-led content pipeline to optimise production cycles, alongside early experimentation with in-content commerce, signalling a broader vision that goes beyond content alone.

As the micro-drama category matures, the entry of founder-led, content-driven platforms like KLIP reflects a shift in how the space is being built. Rather than competing on volume alone, the focus is beginning to move towards narrative depth, retention and long-term audience engagement.

KLIP – Company Profile

KLIP is an India-based micro-drama streaming platform designed for mobile-first audiences, offering short, high-impact fictional stories in a serialized format. Founded by filmmaker Vicky Bahri, producer-actor Harman Baweja, and growth strategist Dev Gupta, the platform combines cinematic storytelling with a snackable viewing experience.

Launched in 2026, KLIP delivers two-minute episodic content across genres such as crime, thrillers, romance, and drama, with each series structured into 40–50 short episodes to create a continuous narrative arc.

Positioned as a content-first platform, KLIP aims to bridge the gap between fragmented short-video consumption and time-intensive OTT formats by offering engaging, story-driven content tailored for on-the-go viewing.

The platform supports multiple Indian languages and is built around a mobile-native, vertical viewing experience, reflecting evolving digital consumption habits in India.