Panorama Studios Invests in Rocket Reels, Fueling India’s First Original Stories Vertical OTT Platform

In a major strategic expansion within India's digital entertainment sector, veteran film producer Kumar Mangat Pathak and filmmaker Abhishek Pathak of Panorama Studios have announced a key investment in Rocket Reels. Founded by Kranti Shanbhag, Rocket Reels stands as India’s first original stories vertical OTT platform. The strategic capital infusion highlights growing industry confidence in premium short-form visual narrative formats while positioning the platform for accelerated production and global market expansion.

Panorama Studios, led by Chairman Kumar Mangat Pathak and Managing Director Abhishek Pathak, remains one of the country's prominent content-driven film studios. Its portfolio features critically and commercially successful titles including Omkara, Special 26, Pyaar Ka Punchnama, Raid, Shaitaan, and the hugely successful Drishyam franchise. Abhishek Pathak, who directed the blockbuster Drishyam 2, is currently directing and producing the eagerly anticipated Drishyam 3, slated for nationwide theatrical release on October 2, 2026.

The collaborative partnership is set to bolster Rocket Reels' creative pipeline, enhance its technical infrastructure, and accelerate the development of high-concept original series across diverse genres. The move aligns with wider global media trends, where vertical micro-dramas optimized for smartphone consumption are witnessing exponential growth among mobile-first audiences.

Designed specifically for modern digital consumption habits, Rocket Reels delivers bite-sized, high-impact episodes across multiple genres, including thrillers, romance, crime, mystery, sci-fi, horror, and comedy. To serve diverse demographic segments, the platform maintains a robust multilingual ecosystem, offering original content dubbed and produced in six major Indian languages: Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, and Gujarati.

Beyond its domestic user base, Rocket Reels has established a wide international digital footprint. The mobile application is currently accessible to viewers across key international markets, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Nepal, and South Africa.

Commenting on the investment, Kumar Mangat Pathak noted that compelling stories naturally find an audience regardless of screen format, praising Rocket Reels for capturing modern viewing habits through quality execution. Abhishek Pathak echoed these sentiments, highlighting vertical storytelling as an essential format for the mobile-first generation. Founder Kranti Shanbhag expressed that the backing from Panorama Studios serves as strong validation for the platform's vision to scale original, high-grade short-form content globally.