MAM
Prayanj Special School children enthral everyone with their spectacular performance this Republic Day!
Mumbai : According to the industry reports, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects an estimated 1 in 60 children in India today. Hence Growel’s 1O1 Mall in Kandivali in partnership with Prayanj Special School celebrated India’s 71st Republic Day in a truly unique way by spreading public awareness on Autism. Present at the event was popular TV Actor Gautam Rode, to encourage the special kids and support the cause.
The Republic Day celebrations commenced with a spectacular musical show which was organised by the differently-abled kids from Prayanj Special School. Along with the National Anthem, the kids sang Bollywood and patriotic songs. The kids also showcased their artistic talent by exhibiting handmade embroidered handkerchiefs and macramé art. The celebrations ended with the Republic Day Parade inside the mall.
Speaking for the cause, Gautam Rode, TV Actor said, “The kids were absolutely a delight to watch as they presented the Republic Day musical show. I am just amazed at the sheer talent they possess. These children with ASD need our care and attention along with daily encouragement. I am extremely happy to be here and spread awareness on Autism.”
Mrs. Namrata Chedda, Founder, Prayanj Special School said, “Priyanj Special School is extremely grateful to Growel’s 1O1 Mall for providing an excellent platform to our students to showcase their talents and put a spotlight on their abilities, thus supporting our cause. Our students are thrilled to be here and be a part of the Republic Day celebrations. We would like to exhort people to spread awareness about differently-abled individuals and help them find their niche in society. We urge everyone to accept them as they are and offer them opportunities as per their talents and sensitivities to make them contributing members of society.”
Sachin Dhanawade, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Retail & Real Estate, Growel’s 101 said, “Individuals on the autism spectrum need our constant encouragement and support. As a society we need to be more inclusive and help children with autism in becoming a functional member of the society. The Autism awareness campaign is our small step in this direction on this Republic Day. We thank Gautam for supporting this cause and a big thanks to Prayanj Special School Children for making this Republic Day extra special for us.”
Growel’s 1O1 Mall is committed to playing an active role towards the betterment of the society and surroundings they operate in. Over the years, Growel’s 1O1 Mall has taken many social initiatives like donating anti-pollution masks to Mumbai Traffic Police, engaging customers to support Solar Lamp donation to the tribal residents of the SGNP, workshops on the welfare of stray dogs, and also beautification of the flyover wall overlooking the mall entrance gates.
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.
