Event Coverage
IDOS 2017: OTT is here to stay but may not replace pay TV
NEW DELHI: The over-the-top (OTT) medium is here to stay and cannot be put down, but the television medium will continue to survive in the face of this challenge in India.
The stressful life of today and the relationship built by the local cable operator are other reasons for the survival and well-being of the television medium. These were some of the views expressed at a discussion on the OTT Challenge to Pay TV at the Indian Digital Operators Summit organised by indiantelevision.com and moderated by the latter’s founder, CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari.
Viacom 18 Digital Ventures’ senior vice-president and head of marketing Akash Banerji said that OTT would fundamentally change the scenario but admitted that “we over-estimate the short term, and under-estimate the long term.” He felt that the impact of OTT on pay TV may begin to show some change by 2020-21, but not immediately.
Clearly, he said, some disconnect with the cable operators had led to the growth of OTT. Secondly, OTT was providing the content relevant to the individual viewer. Thirdly, he said that Viacom 18 was for the first time indulging in a B2C model where the consumer had the last word. He, however, admitted that the long-term survival of OTT lay in the medium moving to a subscriber-based scenario.
Shaji Mathews, who has recently joined as the CEO of Kerala Cable Communicators in Kochi, said that OTT was no challenge, and (on the contrary) it would augment TV. He was confident that wired technologies will continue to dominate even as wireless technologies attempt to make inroads.
He also felt that there was no level playing field for OTT at present, and so growth will take time.
DEN Networks CEO S N Sharma said that the MSOs had entered the field of OTT in an attempt to provide a platform to various OTT players only to reach the consumer, realising that the consumer habits are changing. DEN had made inroads as far as fee-to-air OTT was concerned, and was only amalgamating the OTT players. The aim was to move with technology.
Ashok Mansukhani of Hinduja Media Group admitted that OTT was a gigantic disruptor of the entire value chain but felt it would take some years to make inroads.
Vynsley Fernandes of CastleMedia felt that the growth of OTT would largely depend on who has the TV remote in the home.
Sisir Pillai of Lukup Media was confident that whatever the medium, it would survive if it had adequate content.
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.
