Event Coverage
Ektaa Kapoor missing in action at Ficci seminar
NEW DELHI: Real life does not always imitate reel life. Unlike some of the perky women in her ‘K’ serials who take critics head on, the queen bee of Indian soaps, Ektaa Kapoor, decided to give a miss to a high-profile seminar on women, society and cinema here. This, even as information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad expounded on his pet theory of ‘no control, but self-regulation’.
Prasad today ruled out banning of any programme or a television channel despite “receiving” complaints on negative portrayal of women on television and films.
Reiterating what he has said many times earlier that he does not believe in control, but self-regulation, Prasad emphasised on the need for a proper blend of creativity and censorship. “The sensibilities of the people as a whole have to be reflected instead of the views of only a section of society,” the minister said while inaugurating a seminar on ‘Women, Cinema and Society’ organized by the FICCI Ladies Organisation here today.
Prasad felt that the quest for the identity of Indian women is still on and this identity is still blurred and needs recognition.
How do we see women? Does Indian creativity means showing only extra-marital relations as depicted in some soap operas on television? These were some of the questions raised by the minister during his speech to an audience, which can be described as a power packed one with wives, sisters, daughters and mothers of influential Indian corporates in their designer wears.
Pointing out that the government does not visualize a role of a regulator for itself, Prasad said, however, the guidelines for film censorship can be modified in view of the changed circumstances. He said the sheer pace of technology is extraordinary and has overtaken us and global cinema is reaching every home. Some sort of timings for viewing films would have to be worked out, hinting at graded viewing time on television for films.
Referring to the questions of people’s ‘right to see’ and the ‘right to show’, Prasad asked as to who would decide what people wanted to see. The creative producers have to act responsibly and exercise self-control to ensure that people’s sensibilities are not offended and at the same time creativity is not curbed and beauty is portrayed with sensitivity, he said
The day-long seminar was attended by film and TV personalities, including Jaya Bachchan, Mrinal Sen, Mahesh Bhat, Vaijayantimala, Tanuja Chandra, Deepti Naval, Shashi Kapoor, Suhasini Maniratnam, Shabana Azmi, Neena Gupta and representatives of various women organisations.
The queen bee of Indian soaps, Ektaa Kapoor, who had been invited as a special guest failed to turn up, probably sensing the mood of the organizers and the audience that would come. During pre-seminar meetings only, some members of the FLO had come down heavily on the soaps, especially those churned out by Balaji Telefilms, as being regressive in nature.
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.
