Event Coverage
“Asia is a priority market for Lionsgate”: Kevin Beggs
CANNES: Lionsgate is scrutinising the Asian market. For the company which has been in the channel business in Asia through joint ventures for the past five years, the region now features in the priority market list.
Addressing the audience at MIPCOM 2014, Lionsgate chairman Kevin Beggs said that with its Hong Kong office, the company is also pushing into India. “Shows like Orange is the New Black in China represent a huge revenue growth for us, which before was pretty close to nothing,” he said, adding that while the region is temperamental in a way, it is also very promising.
The theatrical side of Lionsgate is in deep discussions about bringing more films into Asia. “We are looking at developing shows that could find itself in the market now. It’s a priority for the company, but it is also an emerging market for us, that will go a long way at making us strong, and we are focused on it,” informed Beggs.
Lionsgate, the creators of ‘Orange is the New Black’, ‘Manhattan’, ‘Mad Men’ is a firm believer of having a global look, while making a show. “Both Mad Men and Orange Is The New Black are high quality shows, which we were hoping would be liked by the global audiences. It has exceeded expectations,” he said.
The company keeps its eyes open for finding great partnerships across the globe. “We are talking to people all the time. We are finding the perfect shows that we can co-commission or commission simply for the UK or Germany or France pay market. It is a high priority for us,” informed Beggs.
Lionsgate has auctioned many formats so far in different markets. “We always look for the right thing to adapt,” he added.
Beggs also touched upon the streaming services that have started playing a key role. “While television has ad breaks with 42 or 43 minutes of drama, the streaming services have no advertising obligation. And they have a much longer running time and no breaks. The storytelling of ‘Orange is the New Black’ on Netflix is very different. It takes a lot of digressions on the shows, and because people will re-watch, one has a lot of freedom to tell a story in a much more serialised and novelised way. There is no need for a dramatic ending before a commercial break, so that people can come back. So the pacing is interesting from our standpoint as well,” he said.
He feels that in a scenario like this, the writers have to do a great job and also as producers “we need to understand the audience and what would hold them back. Audiences can watch the whole season of a series in a few hours and would wait for the next season, which would take a year. So this is different,” he informed.
Beggs believes that there will be more streaming players in the future. “It the next two years or so, there will be six to seven new streaming services or may be more,” he stated. Citing the reason for the change, which could see some big players jumping into it, he said that streaming business, on a pay basis, does not need a huge number of subscribers to breakeven. “Brands will follow where the audiences are,” he concluded.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
