iWorld
Animation industry anticipating OTT revolution by 2020
MUMBAI: As 2018 kick-started its journey with a bang, the question contemplated by broadcasters and the animation production segment was whether or not the media and entertainment industry was in the favour of animation. Animationxpress.com’s Spark Connect event saw a session on ‘2018, an animated year for the Indian Industry?’ with panellists—Toonz Media Group national head of marketing Kishor Srivastav, Green Gold Animation chief strategy officer Srinivas Chilakalapudi, Cosmos-Maya syndication, marketing and sales VP Devdatta Potnis, Discovery Kids India head of content Uttam Pal Singh and Vaibhav More Films founder and director Vaibhav More. The panel was moderated by Indiantelevision.com and Animationxpress.com founder, CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari.
Potnis said that the rise of over-the-top (OTT) platforms had enabled content to reach tier II and III cities via smartphone penetration. Online was a dominant factor in 2017 and was likely to turn the tables in the next two to three years. Srivastav added that in 2011, the average consumption of a common Indian was 450 hours a year, which shot up to 6050 hours in 2017, aided by online videos in which animation had a big role to play.
Potnis also pointed out that kids were demanding regional animation content. He added that this was being driven by OTT and the local market. His company is soon to launch a spinoff of Motu Patlu soon. Discovery’s Singh highlighted that new IP creation is definitely on the cards but one needs to figure out the right stories and characters. He admitted that Discovery Kids wasn’t among the top brands and that the channel is going through a reinvention. Though creating an IP is difficult, he said that there isn’t any fatigue setting in.
Srivastav touched upon the facets that make Korean animation content work in India. “We need to create IPs for young adults and kids. The storytelling needs to be simple,” he said. He predicts that there will be more IP creation happening in India by 2018-2020. Creating one takes at least two to three years and not benefitting it is the lack of finance due to the low trust in the industry. He said that a creator needs at least Rs 4-5 crore to produce a series, as well as government incentives. Working with foreign companies doesn’t entail a tax but local production is stamped with a 15 per cent GST. He spoke of countries that provide up to 40 per cent subsidies with Singapore establishing it at 25 per cent and Malaysia creating a fund for animation producers. Such initiatives are what India lacks.
The advertising industry has also become judicious in its spending. Clients today are cautious in the areas they spend. They are also aware of the impact of the animation industry and are willing to shell out a higher amount if the quality is good.
OTT is surely the focus of even animation producers today. Knowing its power and potential and the reach it has to India and the world’s youth, the players are anticipating the boom in the next few years.
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iWorld
OneOTT partners with UP govt for Project GANGA broadband rollout
Initiative to connect 2M plus households, empower 8,000–10,000 entrepreneurs in 2–3 years.
MUMBAI: Uttar Pradesh just got a digital Ganga flow because when broadband meets ambition, even villages start streaming faster than city traffic. OneOTT Intertainment Ltd. (OIL), the broadband arm of Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS) under the Hinduja Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the State Transformation Commission (STC), Government of Uttar Pradesh, for Project GANGA (Government Assisted Network for Growth & Advancement).
The MoU, signed on 7 March 2026 in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Finance & Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, aims to empower 8,000–10,000 local entrepreneurs at the Nyaya Panchayat level as independent Digital Service Providers (DSPs). A significant number of these DSPs are expected to be women. The initiative will deliver high-speed broadband to over 2 million households in the next 2–3 years and create direct and indirect employment for more than 100,000 individuals.
Project GANGA will support government priorities in digital education, healthcare and public services while enabling MSMEs and enterprises with reliable connectivity. DSPs will receive structured training, financing assistance, network build-out support and technology enablement.
STC CEO Manoj Kumar Singh said, “Project GANGA is a significant step toward expanding inclusive digital infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh. By empowering local entrepreneurs, the program will strengthen service delivery and ensure affordable digital access for underserved communities.”
OIL, MD & CEO and HGS whole-time director Vynsley Fernandes added, “This initiative reflects our long-term commitment to enabling digital access and economic opportunity at scale. Project GANGA is structured as a multi-year program focused on entrepreneur onboarding, network deployment and workforce development.”
OIL brings execution strength backed by HGS and NXTDIGITAL’s national footprint, which already connects over 5 million homes across more than 4,500 pin codes in 1,500 cities and towns through 15,000 plus franchise partners and over 2 lakh kilometres of fibre infrastructure. The ecosystem will support broadband, IPTV, OTT, CCTV, satellite internet and cybersecurity solutions for households, businesses and public institutions.
In a state racing toward digital inclusion, Project GANGA isn’t just laying cables, it’s laying the foundation for millions to connect, learn, heal and earn, one Nyaya Panchayat at a time.
