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Mumbai to host AniMela 2026, featuring global animation and XR
MUMBAI: Mumbai will host AniMela 2026, an international festival dedicated to animation, visual effects, gaming, comics and extended reality, from February 19 to 22 at Whistling Woods International.
Positioned as a cross-disciplinary platform, the four-day event will bring together creators, studios, students and industry leaders through curated screenings, immersive showcases and industry-led programmes reflecting the convergence of storytelling and technology.
A major draw this year will be screenings of Oscar-nominated animated films, including feature titles Arco and Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, alongside shortlisted shorts Forever Green and The Girl Who Cried Pearls.
The festival will also mark the India debut of large-scale immersive experiences Titanic LBVR and Colosseum LBVR, allowing audiences to explore historical moments through extended reality environments.
AniMela artistic director and co-founder Anne Doshi , said the festival celebrates creative risk, experimentation and the drive to tell stories across emerging media formats.
Whistling Woods International vice president and business head, chief technology officer and head of emerging media Chaitanya Chinchlikar, said hosting AniMela aligned with the institute’s focus on nurturing young talent and building creative communities.
The 2026 edition is being guided by an international advisory board drawn from the global animation and immersive media space, including Mickaël Marin of the Annecy Festival and Mifa, Munjal Shroff, Arjun Madhavan, executive producer Ashima Avasthi Chaudhuri, Aneta Ozorek and filmmaker Kiran Rao.
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Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
