Gandhi Fernando & Dianda Sabrina Star in the Vertical Drama 'I LOVE YOU MY TEACHER'

Kapanlagi.com - Two talented artists, Gandhi Fernando and Dianda Sabrina, are brought together in the latest project I LOVE YOU MY TEACHER, a romantic drama in a vertical format lasting one minute per episode, which is a new breakthrough in the world of digital content in Indonesia.

The series, produced by Creator Media and Kuro Films, will air starting November 7, 2025, featuring a total of 20 episodes with a compact, emotional story that is close to reality.

Unlike typical dramas, I LOVE YOU MY TEACHER is packaged in a vertical format similar to videos on social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram Reels.

This series is indeed designed to be easily watched on mobile screens, similar to the recently popular Chinese dramas. Gandhi Fernando, who plays Malik and is also involved in the production process, admitted that creating a vertical series is not an easy task.

"It's really hard. In a movie, the duration is clear, it can be 90 minutes or two hours. But for short series like this, we still have to figure out the duration. Here, it has to be one minute each, and every episode must have a clickbait or cliffhanger so that people want to keep watching," Gandhi Fernando said in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Friday (11/7/2025).

Gandhi also added that the creative process with director Joel presents its own challenges.

"We have to hook the audience in the first three to five episodes. Because if it takes too long at the beginning, people might just scroll to the next video. That’s the hardest part," he said.

1. A New Experiment in the World of Digital Drama

With a unique format, short duration, and a dense emotional concept, I LOVE YOU MY TEACHER, which airs on MyTelkomsel, is not just a story of forbidden love between a teacher and a student, but also a symbol of the shift in how society enjoys drama in the digital era.

This series marks a new step for Indonesian creators to adapt to the trend of consuming fast but quality content.

In this series, Gandhi plays Malik, a substitute teacher who accidentally forms a relationship with his student, Ana, played by Dianda Sabrina.

"The story is about two people who meet when Ana is feeling really down. They spend a night full of connection, but the next day Ana is shocked to find out that Malik is actually her new teacher at school," said Gandhi.

"I and Kak Gandhi really understand that the story of Malik and Ana is not just about romance. There are timing, boundaries, and feelings of guilt involved," added Dianda.

2. The First Vertical Drama for Dianda Sabrina

For Dianda Sabrina, the experience of acting in the vertical format series I LOVE YOU MY TEACHER is something new. Dianda said that she was initially invited by Gandhi to create TikTok content, before it was decided to become an OTT series.

"This is the first time I’m acting in a vertical drama, and right away with Kak Gandhi. At first, I was invited to create TikTok content, but it turned into a real series that can air on OTT. I’m very happy," she said enthusiastically.

The shooting process also took place quickly. Gandhi mentioned that the total duration of the series is only about 1 minute for each episode. Gandhi stated that all the filming was completed in less than a week.

(kpl/pur/ums)