Young listeners in India’s smaller cities spark surge in scripted audio series popularity
Audio series are booming in India’s streaming space, drawing younger listeners with exclusive storytelling formats. Platforms are scaling production to drive engagement, monetisation and immersive experiences.
India’s audio streaming industry, long hobbled by thin subscription bases and non-exclusive music catalogues, may have finally found its breakout format.
Platforms like Pocket FM and Audible are seeing strong traction for audio series—scripted, episodic spoken-word shows—that are catching on especially in smaller towns, promising both stickier engagement and a clearer path to monetisation.
Binge listening
According to industry experts, the category that refers to a collection of spoken-word stories or content designed for listening, encompassing formats like audiobooks (narrated books) and audio dramas (scripted audio shows with sound effects and voice actors), are often episodic, personality-driven, and structured more like TV dramas; built for binge consumption. That format is proving sticky, especially for younger listeners in tier-two and tier-three cities, who may not have access to video subscriptions but want the same storytelling experience.
According to a recent report by Pocket FM, an audio entertainment platform, 49% of listeners consume more than 10 audio episodes daily, with 60% choosing it as their leisure-hour companion and many others tuning in while working, commuting, or doing household chores.
“Audio series as a format is fundamentally different from podcasts or music. All our shows are exclusive to the platform, with them being our own IPs. This gives us strong differentiation and long-term defensibility. The truth is, unless there is exclusivity, it becomes very difficult to monetise content or drive a premium around it," Vineet Singh, senior vice-president, brands, Pocket Entertainment said.
While romance and drama continue to dominate as the top categories across entertainment platforms, the platform is also seeing fantasy rising as the third most preferred genre among its audience. Importantly, this trend is not limited to India but is a global phenomenon on the platform, Singh added.
Emotional connect
Audio series are fast emerging as one of the most powerful formats within the audio entertainment ecosystem because they deliver immersive experiences that keep listeners deeply engaged, said Shailesh Sawlani, country manager - India, Audible, the online audiobook service owned by Amazon.
“The depth of audio storytelling helps build a strong emotional connection, encouraging habit and sustained time spent. In India, where audiences already have a deep affinity for serialised storytelling through television, the audio series format feels both familiar yet refreshingly new," Sawlani added.
Marvel’s Wastelanders: Star-Lord (Hindi Edition), emerged as one of Audible India’s most popular new releases in 2023, and upcoming titles, including Harry Potter: Full Cast Audio Editions, headlined by global talent, are already generating excitement worldwide. Other popular titles on the service include Ravan Rising, featuring Ishaan Khatter and Sanjay Dutt, Kaali Awaazein, narrated by Amitabh Bachchan and Thriller Factory, featuring Anurag Kashyap, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tabu, among others.
Monetisation shift
Entertainment industry experts point out that historically, audio companies have found it hard to monetise because they didn't have any differentiated content; most of music and podcasts were largely available across all platforms, so a company could only monetise on differentiated user experience.
“However, when it comes to audio shows, most companies are producing or commissioning exclusive stories which are a lot easier to monetise as they aren't available on any competing platform. Different companies take different approaches to monetising audio series, but today the most common monetisation approach we see is pay—either via microtransactions or via subscription," said Ranjeet Pratap Singh, CEO and co-founder of Pratilipi, an online self-publishing and audiobook portal.
To be sure, the demand side is growing faster than the supply right now as far as audio series go. India’s audio series production ecosystem is still nascent, but platforms are scaling up, commissioning thousands of hours of scripted content across genres like romance, thriller, mythology and fantasy.
Scaling the story
Charu Malhotra, managing director and co-founder, Primus Partners, a management consultancy firm said costs are significantly lower than video, as there is no set, costumes or cameras, but they are still higher than unscripted podcasts, given the need for writers, actors, sound design and editing. AI tools are being experimented with, especially for dubbing, translation and even synthetic voice testing, but most successful shows today still rely on human creativity to build characters and keep listeners engaged. AI is more a supplement than a replacement at this point.
“Word-of-mouth endorsements remain a powerful driver of discovery and adoption, further cementing audio series as a go-to format for on-the-go entertainment. With demand outpacing supply, there's a pressing need for increased content production," Chandrashekar Mantha, partner, media and entertainment sector leader, Deloitte India said.
“To unlock the next phase of growth, focused marketing efforts across digital and radio platforms will be essential in enhancing reach and awareness. As the format matures, audio series are well-positioned to become a mainstream entertainment staple in India's digital landscape."
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