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Anigraph 2005: Technology – the means, not the end, says 2NZ’ Khurana
MUMBAI: The successful merchandising of foreign players like Pokemon can be the role model for animators in the Indian market, said 2NZ Animation CEO Kirit Khurana while speaking on Tuesday at Anigraph 2005.
“There has been a lot of hype about the ‘progress’ we have made in this field, but we have to realise that in spite of the distance we have covered in the past ten years, we are still nowhere on the worldwide animation map,” he lamented, suggesting merchandising was the way forward.
Khurana brought forth the point that technology is merely a means, not an end. According to him, animation developers in today’s times lay undue importance on technology, and in the process, forget that eventually, animation is merely a medium being used to tell a story.
He went on to tackle the various components that go into making a successful animated film. “It’s a myth that animated films are different. Successful film-making, whether it is animated or not, deals with the building of identifiable and memorable characters and the weaving of an appealing story around them. So, just like a normal film, an animated series or film too ought to have an identifiable plot, a strong appeal and good design.” He continued, “It’s not enough to create awe-inspiring visuals, you have to stimulate and arrest the mind of the viewer, too.”
That apart, one aspect which animators must concentrate on, Khurana said, was exaggeration. “This is where animation stands out. Animation is a means to the dish that’s storytelling, but there must be an ample amount of salt and pepper thrown in,” he said.
Khurana cited the example of the tiger which was successfully used by Sony Max during the 2003 World Cup, and said that exaggeration is a factor that goes a long way in endearing cartoon characters to kids.
Speaking on the current animation scene, he said that while 3-D animation was on the rise, courtesy films like Toy Story, Shrek and Finding Nemo, it does not signal the end of the road for 2-D animation. He pointed out that there was scope for the survival of both forms, and that animators must decide whether they want to use 2-D, 3-D or stop motion animation, depending on factors like economy, feasibility, comfort, availability of manpower and what suits the storyline.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
