MAM
CEAT Specialty collabs with Kalki 2898 AD to launch tyres for AI vehicle
Mumbai: CEAT Specialty has announced an exciting partnership with the much-anticipated film Kalki 2898 AD, starring Prabhas, to develop and launch state-of-the-art tyres for Bujji, the robotic vehicle featured in the movie. This collaboration highlights CEAT’s cutting-edge technology and reinforces its commitment to driving the future of mobility.
Kalki 2898 AD, directed by Nag Ashwin, is set in a futuristic world where advanced technology and artificial intelligence shape daily life. The film features an impressive cast, including Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kamal Haasan. Bujji, the AI-driven car in the film, represents the pinnacle of futuristic design and innovation, requiring tyres as advanced and visionary as the vehicle itself.
Designed by Hollywood’s Haisu Wang, who also designed vehicles for Black Panther, Bujji represents a leap into the future of automotive design and technology. The filmmakers wanted a moving car that brought Wang’s design to life, and CEAT Specialty rose to the challenge, creating state-of-the-art tyres that complement this groundbreaking vehicle.
CEAT Specialty’s chief executive Amit Tolani shared his thoughts on this transformative project: “Collaborating on Bujji for Kalki 2898 AD was an incredible opportunity for us. It allowed us to push our boundaries and explore new technologies and materials. Dyutiman Chatterjee and his R&D team brought this vision to life, showcasing their creativity and engineering prowess. This project has set the stage for our future in tyre innovation. Our team and our tyres are truly Crafted for the Curious, driving us to explore uncharted territories and envision the future.”
CEAT Specialty head of R&D Dyutiman Chatterjee added, “Creating tyres for Bujji was an inspiring and demanding task. It provided us with a unique platform to test new technologies and materials, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in tyre design. CEAT Specialty is already renowned for its engineering prowess in developing best-in-class OTR tyres, and this project challenged us to elevate our standards even further. It has not only pushed us to be better but also given us a valuable perspective on the future of tyre technology.”
The development of Bujji’s tyres was a fascinating behind-the-scenes journey that involved intense creativity and meticulous engineering. The process kicked off with dynamic brainstorming sessions, during which designers, engineers, and material scientists collaborated to conceptualize potential designs. Inspired by Bujji’s futuristic look and capabilities, the team delved into extensive discussions about materials, technologies, and aesthetics. These sessions gave birth to visionary sketches, digital models, and pattern prototypes, vividly bringing their ideas to life.
One of the standout features of the tyres is their unique block design. Drawing inspiration from AI algorithms and futuristic patterns, the design incorporates intricate grooves and channels that enhance performance and visual appeal. The circular support base of the block design is specifically crafted for superior traction and stability, ensuring the tyres complement Bujji’s advanced capabilities and striking sporty looks.
Engineering excellence was at the core of this project. The tyres boast a higher breadth and a unique aspect ratio of 30, which ensures outstanding performance and torque. Additionally, the tyres have an impressive load-bearing capacity of up to 4 tonnes, making them highly durable and capable of supporting the robust structure of Bujji. The wider design, coupled with larger rims, not only enhances Bujji’s appearance but also minimizes side sway, providing a smoother and more stable ride. Rigorous simulations and real-world testing validated the design, optimizing the tyres for superior cornering, steering, and braking performance—essential characteristics for a high-performance vehicle like Bujji.
CEAT’s collaboration with Kalki 2898 AD has set a new benchmark in tyre technology, demonstrating the company’s commitment to innovation and excellence. Known for its meritorious off-the-road tyres, CEAT Specialty was the first choice for providing these futuristic tyres due to its industry expertise and proven track record.
As CEAT Specialty moves forward, the lessons learned and the technologies developed during the Bujji project will be crucial in shaping the company’s future products. The vision is clear: to create tyres that are not only functional and reliable but also smart, sustainable, and ready for the future of mobility.
With a legacy of innovation and a forward-thinking approach, CEAT is poised to lead the charge in the next era of automotive excellence. The journey with Bujji and Kalki 2898 AD has illuminated the path, and the future looks promising for CEAT and its vision for futuristic tyres.
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.
