Chai, drama, and two-minute stories — Chai Bisket is betting big on the next wave of mobile-first entertainment. The Hyderabad-based content powerhouse has raised $5 million in a seed funding round led by InfoEdge Ventures and General Catalyst, to officially launch its regional-first OTT venture, Chai Shots.
But this isn’t just another streaming app. Chai Shots is designed for the short-attention-span, always-on Gen Z, delivering fictional microdramas in snackable 2-minute episodes, tailor-made for personal mobile viewing.
Built for Bharat, with Stories That Stick
Set to debut in Telugu, and expand to Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada, Chai Shots is India’s first mobile-only OTT platform focused entirely on fictional storytelling in regional languages.
The format? Short, punchy, premium fiction stories — emotional, relatable, and regionally rooted.
“Our belief is that while formats may evolve, the hunger for compelling stories never fades,” said Sharath Chandra, one of the co-founders. “Chai Shots blends tech and storytelling in a way that makes every scroll a story worth watching.”
The founding trio Sharath Chandra, Anurag Reddy, and Krishna Mohan Varma (who joins as tech co-founder), plan to release over 100 original shows in the first six months — a bold and unprecedented move in India’s digital content space.
Who’s Backing the Bisket?
The round also drew in a powerhouse of angel investors, including:
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Rana Daggubati
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Swiggy co-founders Sri Harsha Majety & Nandan Reddy
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redBus founder Phanindra Sama
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Darwinbox’s Rohit Chennamaneni
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PhysicsWallah’s Alakh Pandey & Prateek
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Rapido’s co-founders
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Virgio’s Amar Nagaram
With platforms like Flick TV, Kuku TV, Reel Saga, and Reelies also entering the space, the race is on to own India’s regional microdrama moment.
But Chai Shots stands apart — it’s not just user-generated, it’s tech-enabled, creator-driven, and built around narrative storytelling.
-By Muskan Dengra
