What if the internet’s most familiar faces lived in the same building? Myntra explores the premise with Folks in the Building, a four-part micro-drama that brings recognisable personalities together as fictional neighbours in a shared universe.
The series features Anuj Gupta, Sameha Shams (Sheena), Shivani Gupta, Varun Grover, Anubhavi, Ankita Sahigal and Gulshan Grover. Rather than asking creators to play conventional fictional characters, the format builds its world around personalities audiences already know.
Across four films, each running for two minutes, the residents cross paths in everyday situations that lead to chaos, comedy and unexpected interactions. Connecting their stories is Vishal, a Myntra delivery executive who finds himself an accidental witness to—and sometimes an unwilling participant in—the building’s antics.
The format reflects a shift in brand storytelling, where the challenge is not simply to place a product in front of viewers but to give them a reason to keep watching. Deliveries, shopping behaviour and Vishal’s recurring appearances are woven into the plot, allowing Myntra to feature in the entertainment without interrupting it.
The casting also brings together personalities with different audience bases, from younger, internet-first viewers and millennials to couples and more mature audiences. This gives viewers multiple points of familiarity while placing them within the same fictional world.
“Micro-drama has become one of the most exciting formats on the internet, and we've seen firsthand how much audiences enjoy stories they can binge in minutes. With Folks in the Building, we started with personalities our audiences already know and put them in one building, which gave us a world that feels instantly familiar and has plenty of room for chaos and comedy. Vishal, our delivery executive, ties it all together, because the brand should be part of the story and not an interruption to it. This is just the first floor, and we're excited to see which residents, crossovers and storylines audiences want next,” said Monalisa Panda, Head of Social, Myntra.
Raghav Bagai, Co-founder, SW Network, said the opportunity lay in creating stories that could hold attention within two minutes while making the brand a natural part of the setting.
“Micro-drama is changing the way audiences discover and consume stories, but for brands, the opportunity goes beyond simply adopting the format. With Folks in the Building, the challenge was to write stories strong enough to hold attention in just two minutes, while making the brand feel like a natural part of the world. The idea was to put entertainment first and let Myntra become part of the story rather than an interruption to it,” he added.
For Jaunty, producer and director, Banana in a Suit (BIAS Studios), the task was to create a cohesive world rather than four disconnected short films.
“From a production standpoint, Folks in the Building was exciting because we weren’t just shooting four short films; we were building one cohesive world. Bringing distinct personalities together meant keeping the filmmaking fast, energetic and character-driven. With the limited runtime of micro-drama, every shot and beat had to count. Working with Myntra gave us the opportunity to explore that balance of pace, character and storytelling; and we see this as just the beginning for the format,” Jaunty said.
With four films laying the groundwork for a larger fictional universe, Folks in the Building leaves room for new residents, crossovers and storylines. For Myntra, the bet is on entertainment-led storytelling that builds brand presence by making audiences want to watch what happens next.
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