New Delhi, July 26 -- The rise of streaming has not displaced India's long-running television soaps. Instead, it is extending their reach, with audiences increasingly watching familiar shows on digital platforms rather than abandoning them for newer formats.

According to media consulting firm Ormax, television staples such as Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah (4.9 million views) and Anupamaa (3.1 million views) ranked among India's 10 most-watched OTT properties during the week of 13-19 July. Industry executives say the migration is reshaping how shows are written and distributed, even as broadcasters remain constrained by the economics of daily television.

Daily soaps were once built almost exclusively for fixed television time slots. Br...