MAM
“Our effort has been to get everyone involved”: Srinivasan Swamy
MUMBAI: With big names dropped out, entry numbers has changed the shape of the event, which is now set to go indoors. The much talked about ninth edition of Goafest is expected to have a low turnout. While much is talked about this, here is a look at what the managing committee has to say.
In conversation with indiantelevision.com Goafest Organising Committee chairman Srinivasan Swamy, speaks at length about entry numbers, what to expect from the event this year and much more…
What are efforts being taking from the Goafest committee for those who are not participating in the fest this year?
Goafest is an industry initiative. It is not a private enterprise. So we want all members of the industry to be a part of it. While some of them have not sent their entries for the awards this year, they are all expected to be part of the event. Our effort has been on to get everyone involved.
Considering that Cannes Lions will follow Goafest, do you think agencies are therefore giving Goafest a miss to focus more on much prestigious global event?
Cannes is two weeks away. While a few people go to Cannes, many come to Goa.
How are you planning to promote the fest this year?
Our promotion has started by emailers. All web media is supporting us by sending these mailers out.
How has the response from SAARC region been this year?
We don’t expect entries or delegates in hundreds. We will have the same number as we had in the past, which is on expected lines.
Do you think shifting the dates of the event has affected the participation?
It does appear so. Some of the people will be out on family holidays. And some speakers find this too close to Cannes and therefore can’t travel to India and later to France. But overall, the plusses and minuses always even out. The inconvenience of having this clash with the general elections was the major concern.
While a few big creative agencies have opted out of the fest, we have understood that digital agencies are really looking forward to it this year. Could you give us an idea about the entry numbers?
We have decent level of participation from digital agencies, about 400. This also tells you about the raise of the importance of this medium.
How has the response been for the new categories that were introduced this year?
I would say these are very good. We should close these with about 200 in number.
What are five things that agencies and delegates can expect from Goafest 2014?
To my mind the five things are:
- Goafest is a nice platform for delegates to network and have a great time.
- There will be something for everyone at Goafest. While some can enjoy the knowledge seminars, advertising conclave or the leadership summit, a few can enjoy the fun activities like aqua zorbing, foam and rain dance etc or take part in beach sports competitions. Participants can also come to just party and dance till late into the night. While seniors can meet at comfort in the CEO lounge and see what should be done for the industry or in which direction it should go.
- The display zones where the shortlisted work can be reviewed, will be quite engaging for those interested in awards and what could win.
- The opening and closing ceremonies and the award nights will be entertaining as well as celebratory in nature.
- Opportunities to learn many new things through various eclectic lectures and at kiosks things that will surprise the regulars to Goafest.
Digital
Content India 2026 opens with a copro pitch, a spice evangelist and a £10,000 prize for Indian storytelling
Dish TV and C21Media’s three-day summit puts seven ambitious projects before an international jury, and two walk away with serious development money
MUMBAI: India’s content industry gathered in Mumbai this March for Content India 2026, a three-day summit organised by Dish TV in partnership with C21Media, and it wasted no time making a statement. The event opened with a Copro Pitch that put seven scripted and unscripted television concepts before an international panel of judges, and by the end of it, two projects had walked away with £10,000 each in marketing prize money from C21Media to support development and international promotion.
The jury, comprising Frank Spotnitz, Fiona Campbell, Rashmi Bajpai, Bal Samra and Rachel Glaister, evaluated a shortlist that ranged from a dark Mumbai comedy-drama about mental health (Dirty Minds, created by Sundar Aaron) to a Delhi coming-of-age mystery (Djinn Patrol, by Neha Sharma and Kilian Irwin), a techno-thriller about a teenage gaming prodigy (Kanpur X Satori, by Suchita Bhatia), an investigative crime drama blending mythology and modern thriller (The Age of Kali, by Shivani Bhatija), a documentary on India’s spice heritage (The Masala Quest, hosted by Sarina Kamini), a documentary on competitive gaming (Respawn: India’s Esports Revolution, by George Mangala Thomas and Sangram Mawari), and a reality-horror competition merging gaming and immersive fear (Scary Goose, by Samar Iqbal).
The session was hosted by Mayank Shekhar.
The two winners were Djinn Patrol, backed by Miura Kite, formerly of Participant Media and known for Chinatown and Keep Sweet: Pray & Obey, with Jaya Entertainment, producers of Real Kashmir Football Club, also attached; and The Masala Quest, created and hosted by Sarina Kamini, an Indian-Australian cook, author and self-described “spice evangelist.”
The summit also unveiled the Content India Trends Report, whose findings made for bracing reading. Daoud Jackson, senior analyst at OMDIA, set the tone: “By 2030, online video in India will nearly double the revenue of traditional TV, becoming the main driver of growth.” He noted that in 2025, India produced a quarter of all YouTube videos globally, overtaking the United States, while Indians collectively spend 117 years daily on YouTube and 72 years on Instagram. Traditional subscription TV is declining as free TV and connected TV gain ground, forcing broadcasters to innovate. “AI-generated content is just 2 per cent of engagement,” Jackson added, “highlighting the dominance of high-quality human content. The key for Indian media companies is scaling while monetising effectively from day one.”
Hannah Walsh, principal analyst at Ampere Analysis, added hard numbers to the picture. India produced over 24,000 titles in January 2026 alone, with 19,000 available internationally. The country now accounts for 12 per cent of Asia-Pacific content spend, up from 8 per cent in 2021, outpacing both Japan and China. Key exporters include JioStar, Zee Entertainment, Sony India, Amazon and Netflix, delivering over 7,500 Indian-produced titles abroad each year. The top importing markets are Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, the United States and the Philippines. Scripted content dominates globally at 88 per cent, with crime dramas and children’s and family titles performing particularly strongly.
Manoj Dobhal, chief executive and executive director of Dish TV India, framed the summit’s ambition squarely. “Stories don’t need translation. They need a platform, discovery, and reach, local or global,” he said. “India produces more movies than any country, our streaming platforms compete globally, and our tech and creators win international awards. Yet fragmentation slows growth. Producers, platforms, and tech move in different lanes. We need shared spaces, collaboration, and an ecosystem where ideas, technology, and people meet. That is why we built Content India.”
The data, the pitches and the prize money all pointed to the same conclusion: India is not waiting for the world to discover its stories. It is building the infrastructure to sell them.
