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India can be entertainment-outsourcing hub
NEW DELHI: The market for entertainment products, including television, films, video games and music, is huge in India and Asia, in general. But for that a concerted effort needs to be made by the industry that needs to do some work in human resource development and the government, which needs to
come up with some more tax sops, experts felt here.
Pointing out that the buzz should be about Asian business and not just Indian alone, celebrated filmmaker Shekhar Kapur said, “The market for entertainment products is about $350 billion (globally) and even if India is able to capture at least 50 per cent of the same, it’d be a huge amount.”
Kapur, along with Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea and young filmmaker Manu Reval were addressing a session on “The Indian Entertainment Industry” at the India Economic Summit, jointly organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the World Economic Forum (WEF), here today.
Zee TV president Apurva Purohit, slated to participate in this session, failed to turn up, depriving the audience of the experience of India’s largest vertically integrated media company, Zee Telefilms Ltd. The company operates in various segments of the entertainment industry, including theme parks, film production and, of course, cable and satellite TV.
Making a strong case for the Asia, Kapur felt that in about 10 years time in a “reverse cultural colonisation”, 70 per cent of the global revenue would come from the Asian entertainment industry. “Even in India, where the entertainment industry holds great potential and is beginning to open up, it’s just the tip of the iceberg,” he added.
And, why the domestic entertainment industry should be strengthened? According to Kapur, the globe cannot be conquered, unless the domestic market is optimally tapped.
“McDonalds did not become the biggest food franchisee in the world without becoming one at home (in the US),” Kapur contended.
Kapur also felt that new technologies like mobile technology, music and online ventures would fuel the growth as a time would come when there would be “some sort of convergence.” Development of delivery formats, including mobile entertainment, and consequent development of content conducive to these platforms, has to be encouraged to develop new revenue streams, he explained.
Pointing out that India is beautifully positioned to benefit from this trend, Kapur said that the Indian market could capture this opportunity by utilising two main tools: new technology and nurturing new talent.
He said that creation of digital theatres is a cost-effective option as it helps cut down the cost of distributing (film) prints, while combating piracy. “This would be especially beneficial in the Indian scenario and generate economic gains. Currently, the growth of infrastructure is happening only for the ‘A’ category cities and the same has to spread to ‘B and C’ category towns also as real growth would come from there,” Kapur held forth on what is his favourite topic these days, apart from film making.
Quick to elaborate after Kapur had set the tone, Star India’s Mukherjea pointed out the huge “opportunity gaps” that exist in the Indian television market.
Of the 150 million Indian households capable of owning a TV set, only 75 million do so, he said, adding and of this, around 60 per cent are black and white TV sets, while households accessing cable & satellite channels are 42 million.
Correlating this number to the 65 per cent Indians below the age of 30 years that devote only about two hours a day to television, as opposed to around six hours a day in the US, Mukerjea said, “There is a huge opportunity waiting in India in the form of this segment of population that spends more than other age brackets, and can devote time to entertainment through television.”
The other important issue that needs introspection, according to Mukerjea, is development of India as an outsourcing hub for television software.
India offers huge cost advantages for development of television content, he said citing the cost of productions in the US and India.
The average cost of producing an episode of X Files, at present aired on Star Plus, is approximately one million dollars in the US, whereas a decent production can be done in India at three per cent of this cost, or less, Mukerjea said.
Pointing out that efforts should be made towards development of India as South Asia hub for television content and also entertainment-related products, Star India CEO said, “The thrusts have to come both from the government and the industry. The television industry should position itself as the preferred career choice for young talent. The government, on the other hand, should give tax breaks and other incentives to promote infrastructure for the same.”
According to Mukerjea, increasingly young people are opting for careers in media and communications and entertainment is not much different.
Responding to a query from indiantelevision.com, Mukerjea, however, clarified that Star would not like to get tied down to training people for the entertainment industry in a formal way like opening up a training school. “But if an organisation like NIIT can devote one of its training centres for entertainment industry, it’d be worthwhile,” he said.
Reval, the young film director, reiterated the importance of development of new talent in India.
He said that corporates should pool their resources and create a corpus that would help train newcomers in the industry on issues like access to finance and other professional practices particular to the film industry.
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Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
