Event Coverage
ETV, BVITV announce multi-genre, multi-year prog agreements
MUMBAI: A broad range of entertainment programming – features, kids animation, live action series and TV movies – will be brought to viewers of free TV broadcaster ETV in South Africa, through agreements announced by ETV and Buena Vista International Television (BVITV) today, by BVITV vice president sales EMEA Alison Homewood and ETV channel director Bronwyn Keene-Young.
First run features will include the family comedy The Princess Diaries, the drama Behind the Sun and the Oscar Wilde adaptation The Importance of Being Earnest. Also included are Crazy/Beautiful starring Kirsten Dunst and Duets starring Gwyneth Paltrow. For younger viewers, first run titles include Recess: School’s Out, based on the popular Recess animated series and DuckTales: The Movie.
Viewers in South Africa will be able to enjoy repeat features such as The Santa Clause, with Tim Allen as a father who suddenly has to step in as Santa, when the current Mr Claus falls of his roof. Also in this package is the comedy thriller Arachnophobia, starring Jeff Daniels and John Goodman, informed an official release.
ETV will also broadcast a Disney branded show for the first time. Disney Hour, will run on Saturday from 8:30 am – 9:30 am from 6 November 2004, and will showcase a selection of Disney branded kids animation, such as Disney’s Dave the Barbarian, Disney’s Fillmore and Disney’s Teamo Supremo.
In a separate agreement introduced by BVITV; ETV has licensed a range of kids entertainment from the Jetix portfolio of programming, of which BVITV services the distribution. Titles include the fun new animated action series Daigunder and RoboRoach, the humorous animated adventures of two genetically mutated roach brothers – one with superpowers, one with brainpower – who tackle crime while bugging each other! Also included is the animated comedy series Pig City, which tells the story of a teenage pig from the country who comes to live with his spoilt cousins in Pork City.
For BVITV, the agreement was negotiated by Maria Bayman, executive director of sales, strategic markets and Kerry Henchy, sales executive, strategic markets.
Homewood said, “Were sure that this agreement will add some successful new programming to ETV’s daytime and primetime schedules. We’re particularly looking forward to working with ETV on the launch of Disney Hour, and the ongoing development of the show.”
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.
