MAM
Shobiz part of Havas Creative Network expands into the exhibition industry
Mumbai: Shobiz, the agency of the Havas Creative Network India, the four-decade-old marketing agency, has expanded its line of business and has forayed into the vibrant realm of the exhibition industry. The new vertical will be called ‘Shobiz Exhibits’. With its astute and deep experience in handling countless marquee exhibitions over the years, Shobiz will now leverage its wealth of knowledge, innovation, and creativity to lead this venture.
Shobiz has appointed Tejinder Nagi as the business head who along with Subir Majumdar the chief creative officer will steer the exhibition vertical. With over 20 years of experience, Tejinder has managed some of the leading exhibitions for global companies in India like INFORMA Exhibitions, CII, NESCO, and Hannover Messe, to name a few. He is a hands-on leader who brings a wealth of knowledge and insight into the nuances of the industry. Subir with over 25 years in the experiential world, will lend his strategic and design expertise, ensuring the company’s commitment to pushing boundaries and crafting unparalleled experiences. The duo will be led by Shobiz chief executive officer Sameer Tobaccowala. a pioneer in our Indian experiential industry who has scaled the agency to the numero uno position that it is today.
This strategic expansion marks a significant milestone for Shobiz as it ventures into a new avenue of creative possibilities, amplifying its commitment to redefining brand experiences. The company doesn’t merely construct structures; it crafts immersive platforms that redefine brand interaction. The agency has over 100+ clients in its portfolio across several sectors including Hindustan Unilever, One Plus, Google, Hyundai Motors, Kia Motors, Siemens, and Schneider Electric, among others. This expansion into the exhibition business aligns with the agency’s unwavering commitment to providing audiences with an unparalleled experience, where brands come alive, stories unfold, and connections thrive. With a focus on innovation and customer satisfaction, Shobiz pledges to set new benchmarks in the exhibition industry.
“In the pursuit of advancing economic growth and elevating its standing in the global business community, India recognises the instrumental role Exhibitions can play,” said, Sameer Tobaccowala. “Shobiz is poised to be a brand’s strategic partner in this journey. While the marketer or the brand leaders concentrate on refining the product, we commit to orchestrating an impactful convergence of the target audience through an immersive 360-degree experience. Together, we can unlock unparalleled opportunities and propel our client’s business to new heights,” he further adds.
Subir Majumdar further elaborated, “Exhibitions and events are some of the critical enablers and triggers of the economy. We envision a realm where exhibitions transcend mere displays and booths. Our expertise lies not only in crafting physical structures but in curating platforms that foster connections, engage audiences, and catalyse transformation. We are storytellers, architects of emotion, and masters in using materials, light, and technology to weave enchanting experiences.”
“Our goal will be to redefine the exhibition landscape by offering a holistic, customer-centric approach, with seamless experiences that not only meet but exceed the diverse needs of our clients, setting a new benchmark for excellence in the exhibition industry. As I take the helm of Shobiz’s dedicated Exhibition Unit, I’m excited to merge my two decades of industry insights with the team’s passion for excellence” said Tejinder Singh Nagi.
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.
