Event Coverage
Indian entertainment industry to be worth Rs 450 bn in 2009: PwC report
MUMBAI: The Indian entertainment industry will grow yearly at the rate of 18 per cent to reach Rs 450 billion in 2009. This data is contained in a report published PricewaterhouseCoopers. The report is titled Indian Entertainment Industry: An unfolding Opportunity and will be released at the Frames Convention on 4 April.
The Indian television industry will be worth Rs 300 billion in 2009. The report notes that the growth will be driven by the launch of new channels and the launch of new formats like reality shows. Subscription revenues will drive growth in this segment. In the short term subscription revenues will gain from improved realisations and an increase in the number of cable and satellite homes.
After that point corrections in the regulatory mechanism will pave the way for addressability and growth in digital distribution. Growth in television advertising is expected to outperform GDP growth by at least five per cent in the coming years.
The study notes that the film industry is being pushed forward by the growth of multiplexes. This has changed the movie viewing experience for consumers. It has also had an impact on the filmmaking business. The film market is expected to expand to over Rs 129 billion in 2009. The report notes that Indian animation rose to its highest levels so far in 2004. It is gaining ground in the outsourcing arena.
Meanwhile an increasing number of downloads of games on mobile phones will open new opportunities for gaming companies. Wireless uptake in India has been growing at the rate of over 80 per cent in the last few years. As far as FM Radio is concerned the expected rationalisation in the license fee structure could see the segment experiencing triple growth. The music and live entertainment sector has grown steadily this year.
PricewaterhouseCoopers India executive director entertainment and media practice Deepak Kapoor said, “Technology will drive the entertainment sphere into the next decade. Its boundaries will be merged with those of the telecommunications and IT segments. This will give rise to a host of value added features for consumers and new revenue streams for players in each segment. Mobile entertainment with its ability to dissect the boundaries of time and space will be the biggest growth driver.”
“Content is and will continue to be the king of entertainment in the future. Securing rights over the content will decide the strength of players across segments. The challenge will then be of having a regulatory regime working towards adapting these advancements,” he added.
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.
