MAM
India Gate brings values to the table with Bachchan’s new brand film
MUMBAI: In a country where dal-chawal is more than dinner, it’s comfort, memory, and belonging India Gate Basmati Rice has served up a new campaign that’s as warm as a freshly cooked meal. Titled “India Ka Swaad Chakhte Hai”, the 100-second brand film features none other than Amitabh Bachchan, lending gravitas to a message about values that simmer quietly through generations.
In this emotive montage of four stories, food is more than nourishment, it’s a language of love and respect. From welcoming strangers to comforting students far from home, the film reminds us that “Atithi Devo Bhava” and “respect for elders” aren’t just taught; they’re lived, plated and passed on. And in this film, that passing down happens via a piping hot bowl of rice.
Anchored by Bachchan’s baritone and laced with sentiment, the narrative rests on the idea that “Values Viral Banate Hai”. Whether it’s a neighbour’s warmth, a caregiver’s quiet gesture, or a mother’s care recreated miles away, the film captures how food becomes a bridge not just between people, but between values and memories.
India Gate head of marketing Kunal Sharma summed it up, “This campaign is a tribute to the values that shape us. With Mr Bachchan’s voice, we’re hoping to stir hearts and highlight the emotional richness that food carries in Indian homes.”
The rollout is ambitious: over 560 cinema screens across 32 cities, top national and regional TV channels (including Star Plus, Sun TV, Zee TV, and Star Jalsha), and a strong digital push via OTT, CTV, and influencer-led storytelling.
More than a celebration of basmati rice, India Ka Swaad Chakhte Hai is a quiet ode to Indian culture where every grain has a story, and every meal is a reminder that we don’t just eat to live… we eat to connect.
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.
