Event Coverage
NBC to bring diverse programming line-up to MIPTV
MUMBAI: NBC’s fare on offer at Cannes this year includes diverse fare including a highly anticipated network drama from Dick Wolf, a new network comedy, as well as non-scripted series, formats, news, sports and documentaries.
In addition to television programming, the slate is further fueled by feature film titles including the Jamie Foxx-starrer Ray and the upcoming The Interpreter, starring Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn.
New series from NBC Universal International Television Distribution at MIPTV this time include Law & Order: Trial by Jury, the latest installment in Dick Wolf’s Emmy-winning Law & Order brand, with an all-star ensemble cast including Kirk Acevedo, Amy Carlson, Bebe Neuwirth, Jerry Orbach and Fred Dalton Thompson; the compelling medical mystery drama House, which has just been picked up for a second season in the US; The Office, based on the surprise British hit and already creating a strong buzz overseas; and Kojak, starring screen actor Ving Rhames in the lead role as Lieutenant Theo Kojak, and also starring Chazz Palminteri and Roselyn Sanchez.
NBC’s motion picture offerings include the upcoming The Interpreter, a dramatic thriller that follows an FBI agent assigned to protect a UN interpreter who overhears an assassination plot, starring Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn; The Perfect Man, starring Hilary Duff, Heather Locklear, Chris Noth and Aria Wallace in the story of a teenage girl (Duff) who secretly plans to find her mom (Locklear) the perfect man; and The Skeleton Key, starring Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands and Peter Sarsgaard, a mystery set in the dark atmospheric backwoods just outside of New Orleans about a young woman hired to care for an elderly woman’s (Rowlands) ailing husband in their home.
In addition to new programming, NBC will also be presenting returning series, including the Emmy-winning and Golden Globe-winning Monk, SCI FI Channel’s hugely successful Battlestar Galactica; as well as current and non-scripted programming including the ongoing successful franchises Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Queer Eye for the Straight Girl, Meet My Folks, Average Joe and Celebrity Poker Showdown, as well as NBC News programming including Dateline and Nightly News with Brian Williams.
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.
