MAM
Learning and unlearning from working from home during COVID-19
MUMBAI: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way our world functions. The outbreak has spurred the growth of the work-from-home model. This swift transition from the traditional office set up to work from your own home comfort has many pros and cons. While it brings flexibility, it also requires self-motivation, self- discipline and availability of resources.
According to industry experts, efficient remote working will become the new normal in the media and advertising industry. Illiteracy in the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.
Indiantelevision.com spoke to industry experts to understand what are some learnings and unlearning during pandemic situations while working remotely.
WATConsult West and South VP operations Manika Juneja says that adapting to the newness in the most empathetic and agile manner will be the greatest learning during this time. “While the advertising and digital industries are considered to be remote, that’s still far from reality. This pandemic situation is going to break a lot of myths about remote working by giving a firsthand experience to people who were never comfortable with this option,” she adds.
According to Juneja, unlearning prejudices and learning to prioritise the basics is necessary for creativity, audience understanding and communication. This will help in establishing a better connect between brands and consumers.
ELSA Corp Country head India Manit Parikh says that the learnings are very clear – supreme flexibility and independence in your work life. However, he is of the view that discipline and commitment are the most important aspects of work from home culture. So, cultivating strict routines or working hours is necessary so as to not impact productivity.
“You get the liberty to work from anywhere and as per your convenience, which I believe is the most obvious and positive factor of working remotely. Also, efficiency is better as one can focus on tasks without getting stuck in day to day office hurdles. It also gives you an opportunity to improve your work-life balance,” he points out.
Saving commute time is one of the biggest advantages of working from home. With the advancement in technology, team meetings or client meetings can happen online, which helps in utilising the time more effectively.
On the flip side, Parikh believes that in the work-from-home structure it is not easy for managers to monitor their staff’s progress and performance. He says, “There is no way for an employer to know with 100 per cent certainty that their charges are working to the best of their abilities. In-office, employees are connected in a tangible way but at home, you might not have full access to technology platforms. Other than this, I feel at home there are many distractions that drop your concentration level.”
Squadk.in founder Krina Gindra finds that remote working or work from home is not quite the same for large teams where teamwork is not just a strong quality and ethic, but part of a process for success. Gindra suggests keeping the working hours just as it is on a regular day at work to increase efficiency. “To stay more focused, take short breaks, spark conversations with family, friends and with your teams. Be on video mode whenever possible as it makes us feel closer and more connected,” she suggests.
Experts are of the opinion that this is a time where our values and culture are being tested; a time where empathy and kindness run hand in hand with innovativeness.
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.
