MAM
This pandemic has shown that planning is meaningless: FCB Ulka’s Anindya Banerjee
MUMBAI: In these unprecedented times, it is easy to lose focus and develop a sense of anxiety or fear. Hence, people around the globe are utilising their lockdown time to invest in personal growth and learning skills. In a special interaction with indiantelevision.com, FCB Ulka executive creative director Anindya Banerjee shares some of his favourite activities, new skills he learnt during lockdown and more.
Excerpts:
What are the few things that you learnt during this lockdown?
- Learnt that people land up in time for virtual meetings (Microsoft teams or Zoom) while being incorrigibly late for meetings in the real world.
- Learnt that people usually keep video on while on a zoom call with friends and keep the video off while on zoom call with colleagues.
- Learnt that physical meetings are a waste of time and resources. I’ve now learnt how to present film scripts online and I am liking it.
- Learnt how to shoot a film without being actually present. It’s tough, but do-able.
- Learnt how to change the punctured tyre of a car.
Have you tried to learn a new game or have you enjoyed playing a game for hours?
I am learning how to play poker. Although, I suspect, I am a long way off from being proficient at it. I am also enjoying going back to the good old games of the analogue age: monopoly, chess and scrabble.
Have you taken time to reflect what you have accomplished in the past years and what goals you'll be setting for the coming years?
Most people have said that this is a time for reflection. But frankly, with the work pressure, I have had even less time to think of the future. In any case, the pandemic has shown that planning is meaningless.
Have you made a list of things which you are grateful for?
I wake up in the morning and mentally thank god. I am grateful to be alive. Secondly, I am grateful to my profession that I have my hands full when it comes to work. How many people can stand up and say that?
What business-related book has inspired you the most?
I love reading. But if there’s one book that has inspired me, and honed my craft more than any other, it is "The Copy Book". In fact, it is the Bible for any advertising person. In every writer’s life, there are moments of fear and utter blankness. 15 minutes on any page are enough to dispel any self-doubt.
If you three wishes, what would you change in the world?
- I would change people’s mindset about wastage. Wastage is the biggest crime today and it should be punishable by law.
- I would make comics tax-free. Everyone loves reading comics. They are simple, entertaining and easy to read. A comic book can go a long way in eradicating illiteracy.
What habits helped you become successful?
Success is a highly contentious topic. Who’s to decide what is successful and what is not?
What mindsets have helped you?
The world is full of super talented people. And I know I am not one of them. So, I try and over-compensate it by working twice as hard.
If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
I am in advertising for the love of advertising. We influence society, thoughts and in many ways, I believe we are far ahead of the curve when it comes to changes. It’s an entertaining business and I get paid for it. Why would I want to do things differently?
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.
