MAM
Ganesh Chaturthi inspires Mumbai Traffic Police’s initiative for safer streets
Mumbai: In a unique and innovative effort to address the issue of reckless behaviour on the road and promote traffic safety, Mumbai Traffic Police joined forces with Marolcha Maurya, one of Mumbai’s beloved Ganesh Chaturthi pandals. The collaborative initiative sought to harness the power of one of India’s most cherished festivals to inspire a change in how Indians approach road safety.
During this year’s Ganesh Chaturthi festival, Marolcha Maurya, with the creative support of FCB Ulka, introduced a captivating and thought-provoking concept to draw attention to traffic safety. The centrepiece of the pandal was Lord Ganesh himself, who was depicted wearing a seat belt, setting an example for all to follow. Additionally, his faithful vaahan, the mice, were adorned with bike helmets, emphasising the importance of protective gear.
FCB Ulka played a pivotal role in creating an engaging activation that complemented the theme of the pandal. They rewrote the popular prayer “Sukh karta, dukh harta” to incorporate the message of traffic safety. Devotees were given booklets containing the revised prayer, encouraging them to sing it during the festivities. This transformed the religious mantra into a powerful reminder of the significance of following traffic rules. The underlying message was clear: If Lord Ganesh adheres to traffic rules, so should you.
Traffic Police Mumbai joint commissioner Shri Pravin Padwal praised the initiative, saying, “Citizens should follow traffic rules. It is for their own safety. What I like about this Road Safety Aarti is that through a traditional tune, you get to know about the traffic rules. I hope people get inspired and start following all traffic rules all the time.”
FCB Ulka executive creative director Shailesh Khandeparkar, shared his insights about the innovative campaign, stating, “Most humans will do things out of fear of God. We just added our little twist to it, asking people to follow traffic rules for the love of God. And as it is based on a popular prayer, it is easily hummable, making it easy for everyone to follow the rules.”
The collaboration between Marolcha Maurya and the Mumbai Traffic Police is an inspiring example of how tradition, culture, and creativity can be harnessed to address pressing social issues. It demonstrates that change is possible when we all unite for a common cause. As Indian citizens continue to enjoy the festivities of Ganesh Chaturthi, they are reminded that even during celebrations, safety on the road should not be forgotten.
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.
