Event Coverage
Format shows have limited spectrum on Indian TV
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MUMBAI: Roshan Abbas flagged off the session on ‘TV format- A boon for Indian Production?’ with an introductory speech which began taking one back to the times when there were no format shows at all. “Those were the days when this concept was alien to India at least. But when things happen, they happen fast. We made a mark with Family Fortune which bagged the Screen Videocon award for that show,” he began with a smile, but quickly added, “We are not here to see what my show did and did not. We are here to look at some grey areas, precisely two: a) Does an international format work in Indian environment? b) Like we did in Antakshari and Sa Re Ga Ma, why can’t we format more shows in India?  Phil Trelease, Action Time joint MD, took over and spoke about formats that could be budgeted to the demand and the need of the hour. He explained, “For example, a show Alphabet Game was made on a low budget for UK, but the same show was extravagantly formatted for Spain, France and Portugal. The budget is very flexible.” Summing up, he said, “Don’t think that I am here to sell international formats. I have met many creative people from your country. I am looking forward to take away formats from here.” The second speaker, Manish Popat, COO UTV, was not much for format shows. He cited, “This format craze all began when Kaun Banega Crorepati proved to be a major success. But why do you forget that there were many factors going strongly in its favour? When other such format shows came up with Govinda, Manisha Koirala and Anupam Kher, those bombed. Didn’t KBC TRP ratings drop too after the euphoria had died down? Another format show Knockout was knocked out by Doordarshan simply because some people objected to the government promoting gambling on its own channel. In this perspective, format shows have limited spectrum. Importantly, they have to be presented in such a way that the sensibilities of the nation do not get hurt or even disturbed, he said. At this point, Roshan intervened to agree with Manish. He said, “Yes. I remember that my Family Fortune was earlier titled Family Feud. Before the first episode, the title was changed. Else, it might not have worked.” Sunder Aaron who looks into the network perspective of format shows said, “These format shows are often going to be a bit in excesses, over the top type. You have to excite the audience.” And then began a barrage of questions from the audience. The main ones were: Was KBC a case in isolation? The reply was, “Not really, but format show makers must remember that format shows should not be restricted to gaming only. Another one was: I have worked with a production house. TV channels are very finicky. They keep asking us to change the format every now and then. The reply was, “Channels need to do a lot of research.” No firm conclusion was drawn. The forum lived up to the question mark at the end of its title! |
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The session: TV Format: A boon for Indian Production? |
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Moderator: ENCOMPASS ESP managing director Roshan Abbas |
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.
