MAM
United colors of benetton launches its foremost art collectible line
MUMBAI: Echoing its long standing dedication to art, Benetton India revealed an exclusive collectible line in the capital today in collaboration with established artists of the country. The collectible line, titled #UnitedbyArt, was unveiled by the talent powerhouse & leading voice of fashion Rhea Kapoor at the ongoing India Fashion Week by FDCI.
Since 1965, Benetton has strived to promote identity through equality, diversity and optimism. And art has a somewhat deep and complex relationship with identity. This project reinforces the theme of “Social Integration”, that has long been dear to the Benetton brand, imbuing it with new meaning. Keeping this as a broad spectrum, Benetton has curated an art collective with some very talented artists of India. This synthesis aims to promote cross-generational dialogue about the subject through the medium of art.
Renowned worldwide for its colors, knitwear expertise and social commitment with a blend of Italian style and global research, Benetton collections present on trend, quality outfits, in the respect of the environment and with the goal of creating a brighter future for all humans. This is the first edition keeping the aesthetic of empowering artists and integrating fashion for story telling by introducing a capsule collection of special collectible round neck T-shirts with the artworks.
The artists who are part of this coveted project are –
Somenath Maity
Bhaskar Rao Botcha
Biswajit Mondal
Julio D’ Souza
Sachin Jaltare
Pappu Bardhan
Sachindranath Jha
Siddharth Shingade
Sidharth
Aarushi Kumar Patel
Bandana Kumari
Illoosh Judge Ahluwalia
Oinam Dilip
Suchit Sahni
Art forms the DNA of Benetton linking it back to Imgao Mundi – the art collection of works commissioned and collected by Luciano Benetton on his travels around the world including India – Art without borders and Fabrica, the research centre which is an integral part of Benetton group.
Excited about this unique initiative, Sundeep Chugh, Managing Director & CEO, Benetton India said, “Benetton is a brand built on innovation. Benetton has always kept creativity and social relevance central to our culture and we have consistently strived to do business in a way our associates, partners and customers can be proud of. Art is very close to our cultural fabric and this special collectible line is our commitment to empower the artists and bring them to the forefront. We are proud to see the paintings coming alive with the first collectible line; every artwork has a creative story to tell keeping the core of Benetton in mind.”
The highlight of the reveal was the first ever Instagram LIVE auction. Rhea Kapoor along with popular fashion influencers – Pallavi Ruhail, Bahaar Dhawan Rohatgi, Rasna Bhasin and Sherry Shroff came forth to support the initiative by taking the auction LIVE and securing the first 1965 likes on one of the coveted polo shirts to win the collectible. Integration of heritage & philosophy was seamless celebrating the Benetton DNA.
Sharing her excitement on being a part of the first of its kind initiative by Benetton, Rhea Kapoor said “I am elated to be a part of this significant creative platform by Benetton in India. Benetton is a brand, which has always been close to my heart. It is a brand that a generation has grown up wearing and connects with, not only within the realm of fashion, but for its path-breaking socially relevant campaigns over the years. The #UnitedbyArt is a commendable effort to celebrate fashion & art and I am excited to take home for myself from the first collectible line- already waiting for the next one now”
The avidity in the air was palpable as guests arrived to witness a celebration of the history of craftsmanship; a signature of Benetton, reflected in the special collectible line.
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.
