MAM
Warner Bros. World Yas Island unveils branded aircraft with Etihad Airways partnership
Mumbai: Warner Bros. World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the Middle East’s indoor theme park, is thrilled to announce a groundbreaking extension to its partnership with Etihad Airways, marking a monumental milestone in the theme park’s history. This exciting collaboration will bring the excitement of Warner Bros. World to the skies with the launch of the world’s first Warner Bros. World branded aircraft, taking guests’ pre-theme park experience to new heights.
The first-ever Warner Bros. World branded aircraft was unveiled to the public on July 25 at a spectacular launch event held at Warner Bros. World. This reveal event was a grand celebration of creativity, fun and innovation, showcasing the unique partnership and setting the stage for an extraordinary journey.
The partnership between Warner Bros. World and Etihad Airways represents the largest collaboration for the theme park to date. As part of this captivating initiative, an Etihad Airways aircraft – Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner – has been creatively wrapped with iconic Warner Bros. characters. On one side, guests will be greeted by the mischievous antics of iconic classic animation characters like the Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, while the other side showcases the heroic feats of beloved DC Super Heroes.
Expressing his enthusiasm about the partnership, Miral group CEO Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi said: “We are absolutely delighted to partner with Etihad Airways to bring the first-ever Warner Bros. World branded aircraft to fans. This collaboration not only expands the customer experience but also extends the thrill of Warner Bros. World™ beyond our park’s walls, creating a super vacation with long-lasting unforgettable memories for passengers of all ages.”
Adding to this, Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “Building on the strong reputation we have built as a family-friendly airline, we’re thrilled to take our partnership with Warner Bros. World to the next level. Our Looney Tunes and DC Super Hero-themed aircraft will take our brands to destinations worldwide promoting one of Abu Dhabi’s many attractions. We look forward to welcoming more and more visitors inspired to visit our home, Abu Dhabi, and in particular, delighting our Little VIP guests while they journey with us.”
What’s more, all young guests aged up to 10 years old, flying on Etihad Airways longer flights will receive brand new Warner Bros. World Kids Packs that are being rolled out across the network this summer. Bursting with creativity, these packs are designed to entertain young travellers with activities that inspire them to draw their favourite superheroes and engage in a variety of fun tasks throughout the flight, ensuring every moment is packed with adventure. Infants will receive a DC Super Hero-themed soft blanket, while juniors will receive goodies such as a branded backpack, Super Hero cape, water bottle and activity kit.
Adding to the excitement, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi will also debut an exclusively branded, dedicated children’s lounge within the Etihad Airways Lounge at Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi. This whimsical lounge will transport travellers into the incredible universe of Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, offering a one-of-a-kind experience that brings the wit of the park to the airport, making every journey as delightful as a visit to the theme park itself.
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.
