Event Coverage
Discovery to showcase Indian content across the world, to further strengthen local programming
MUMBAI: The flagship Discovery Network is all set to optimise the content programming and channels under its stable, even as the network foresees a growth in India’s GDP in the year 2016 and plans to broaden its portfolio in the nation.
The network is re-focusing on expanding its scale in India by coming up with better programming line-up, catering to the regional market and by going local using the local talent available in India.
Discovery Communications, which launched in India back in 1995 with only one channel, has now grown into a conglomerate with as many as 11 channels in five languages. The leader in the factual entertainment genre, Discovery roughly has 550 advertisers on board with approximately 275 million cumulative households across India.
The company’s portfolio in South Asia comprises Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TLC, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, Discovery Tamil, Discovery Kids, Investigation Discovery, and three high-definition channels namely Discovery HD World, Animal Planet HD World and TLC HD World.
“No other market in the entire world has shown a growth like India. We want to become a multi-genre platform and want to grow as a media company. With the fresh content line-up, we are broadening our portfolio from what it looks like and are targeting the local audience”, said Discovery Networks International president J B Perrette.
The network believes that the strong brands under them are extremely powerful and are doing economically well for them.
Discovery Networks is also considering launch of its over-the-top (OTT) platform in India soon once the bandwidth stabilizes and once 4G gets in place in the country. The network is dependent on the response from the market rather than following one particular model.
The network already has two direct-to-customer OTT products offering in Europe – Dplay and Eurosport – which are doing exceptionally well for them. “The consumption of video content is rapidly increasing in Norway. The country has proved to be a beneficiary market for us”, added Perrette.
Known for providing high quality content to its viewers across the nation, Discovery is embarking on a very ambitious content production programme with $2 billion global investment. “We are seeing enormous traffic in India. This year, we have invested $2½ billion on our content programming globally to provide good quality shows on our flagship channels”, added Perrette.
As it is not a platform only for documentaries, the network will bring new non-fiction genres like sports, kids, non-organic fiction, etc to India. For the first time, the network will broadcast shows produced in India to the rest of the world.
“Over the years we have increased our local productions in India, and will continue to invest in content to better serve our viewers and clients. Some of the local programmes also find resonance around the world, just like the global content which is viewed in India,” Perrette said.
Targeting the younger generation at large, the network plans to providing content across all its platforms in an easy, simple, accessible way providing various options of entertainment.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
