Event Coverage
“Every medium, whether it’s TV or OTT, offers unique opportunities to resonate with diverse audiences”: Siddharth Kumar Tewary
Mumbai: The panellists delved into the evolving landscape of transmedia storytelling, where narratives seamlessly traverse different mediums to create a rich and immersive experience for audiences. The discussion was explored around successful case studies, examining how storytelling techniques and plotlines can be intricately woven across films, books, and gaming platforms to engage audiences on multiple levels
Speaking at the panel, Swastik Productions founder and chief creative director Siddharth Kumar Tewary said, “Deciding to tell the Mahabharat story isn’t a one-day affair; it’s a journey of over five years. I believe we should respect its timeless essence guiding our modern adaptation, as we embark on a profound exploration, embracing the evolving language and sources of our rich history. We as storytellers meticulously research for decades, spanning from academia to ancient texts, ensuring authenticity. Every medium, whether it’s TV or OTT, offers unique opportunities to resonate with diverse audiences. There are a lot of great stories and it’s a great time to create a synergy across mediums where we create our own Bharatverse while staying true to our cultural ethos. Be it adapting from book to screen or harnessing technological advancements in web series, clarity and authenticity guide our every step. Our guiding principle is to have clarity in the message, understand the characters playing crucial roles behind the story, and have a deep understanding of the narrative’s soul. In this age of evolving family dynamics, our goal is to inspire core Indian values in a contemporary, yet authentic manner. Each character’s role is pivotal, and each emotion is sacred. We delve into the depths of the text, owning its essence, and sculpting it for the screen. Through meticulous reading and interpretation, we breathe life into the pages, ensuring each adaptation resonates with the spirit of the epic.”
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.
