Digital
The influencer-government coalition: A new era of political engagement
Mumbai: Throughout history, governments have used various means to communicate their message to the public, including through the media. With the rise of social media, foreign governments have found new ways to spread their propaganda and influence public opinion in other countries, including through the use of social media influencers.
One recent example of this trend involves the Indian government’s collaboration with influencers like Ranveer Allahbadia to promote its policies and initiatives. This strategy has the potential to reach younger audiences directly and increase awareness and engagement with government programs.
While it is important to consider the potential impact on democratic processes and ensure transparency in the use of social media for political messaging, the use of influencers can also be viewed as a positive way for governments to connect with their citizens and promote their policies in a more accessible and engaging manner.
The topic has garnered responses from notable industry figures. Sharing their insightful thoughts on how influencers are becoming the government’s new favorite medium, and the reason behind this shift, they have also voiced their opinions on relatability to Gen Z and the common man, and what role do niche mediums like podcasts play in this trend.
Whoppl founder & CEO Ramya Ramachandran
The influencers and the influence of social media of influencers have become really significant, and it has become a topic of discussion. Hence, there is a growing need for all these regulations, transparencies, ethical practices, etc, which has to be followed while doing influencer marketing, this is also a sign that governments are recognising that influencers, content creators have that immense reach and engagement potential. Governing bodies have also realised the potential of their reach and have been collaborating with them to promote government schemes, initiatives, etc. Also, it is important to know why they like their audiences because
A) they have a large following
B) they have persuasive abilities.
Influencers can actually help in shaping public opinion, consumer behavior, and social or political movements as well. So because of this power, it, of course, has positive as well as negative purposes. So, one needs to understand why or how and how responsible you are while creating content without having any vested interest and regulation. For influencer marketing today, there are ASCI guidelines in place that talk about how transparent and authentic your content has to be. Not only in India, but also in the world there are a lot of guidelines in place to ensure that these regulations are met whenever there’s an endorsement or testimonial or if there is any sponsored content that has to be completely put very clearly so that the consumers are not misled.
If proper guidelines are followed, influencer reach can be a great source to disseminate information as influencers also tend to have a younger audience of following so you can reach more people at the same time and they leverage the influencers credibility to create a circle of influence.
Pulp Strategy founder and MD Ambika Sharma
It’s very cool to see India transitioning from a boring non youth synergetic government media policy to one where they are making such an interesting effort to talk to the youth of today. One of the biggest pros of using influencers is that they have a large following on social media. This means that they can reach a wider audience than traditional news sources. For example, #BeerBiceps has over ten million followers on Instagram. This gives him a platform to reach a large number of people with the government’s message. It also means the government recognizes the key information drivers of their people, and are smart enough to incorporate that change.
Another pro of using influencers is that they can use their platform to engage with the public in a more personal way. This is because influencers are seen as more relatable than traditional news sources. For example, #BeerBiceps is known for his down-to-earth personality and his willingness to interact with his followers. This makes him a more credible source of information for many people. However, there are also a number of cons to using influencers. One of the biggest cons is that influencers are not always credible sources of information. This is because they are often paid to promote products or services. This can lead to conflicts of interest, where the future behavior of the influencer may reflect on the government in the internet’s scheme of things.
SoCheers group head – outreach Kunal Khandelwal
The government’s decision to engage with influencers like Beer Biceps reflects the growing trend of leveraging influencers as a preferred medium. They have a large reach and influence over the younger generation, majorly Gen Z, who rely largely on digital platforms for everything from information to entertainment.
Influencer collaboration enables the government to effectively promote its policies and programmes to this tech-savvy audience. As a result, influencers act as coordinators between the government and the general audience, amplifying messages and interacting. As we know, podcasts have seen a rise in popularity, serving as a convenient medium for long-form conversations and discussions. Despite their perceived niche, podcasts attract a loyal following looking for specialised topics and substance. The government can reach this niche audience by engaging in podcasts thereby, delivering the message as engaging and impactful.
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.
