Event Coverage
Indian film industry attracts investors amid challenges
MUMBAI: The Indian film industry is buoyant and is generating a lot of investor interests globally. However, it is marred by multiple challenges including a huge gap between investors and creative pieces, industry experts opined at a panel discussion at the 13th edition of Ficci Frames here.
India is one of the biggest producers of films. “However, out of 1,200 odd films that were released last year, only 100 were studio produced,” said Moxie Entertainment MD and independent filmmaker Soumo Ganguly. “This clearly means that the other 1,100 films were made of independent funding either by banks or with the help of high net worth individuals, family, friends and relatives.”
Ganguly said it is a challenging task to always depend on such funding and, hence, difficult to find finance.
Speaking about a large pool of capital available by the way of private equity, Ambit Group CEO Ashok Wadhwa pointed out that while securing finance from high net worth individuals is an option, the challenge arises when the investor does not understand creative pieces.
On a different note, Wadhwa also advised aspiring filmmakers to be absolutely certain about their finances. “I would like to advise aspiring movie makers to not start their projects unless they have 100 per cent of the film expenditure secured in their bank accounts,” he said.
Speaking about revenues generated through selling of television rights, Blackstone senior managing director of private equity Mathew Cyriac said that the producers are generating more revenue from selling movie telecast rights to broadcasters rather than box office collections.
“Television is becoming a bigger distribution point for movies. In Kerala, 50-60 per cent of movies get acquired by general entertainment channels. Similar is the case with Karnataka and other southern markets,” Cyriac said.
Talking about the challenges in movie making business, he said that the studio model is yet to emerge in India.
“Studio business in India is the early 1950s equivalent of business in the United States. Hence venture capital flavour of investment is seen more in India,” he said.
Speaking of combining the best of investor and creative pieces to create a hybrid model, Hollywood-based The Allegiance Theater founder and partner Daniel Dubiecki said that it would be fruitful to bring together venture capitalists and studios models.
“Group of angel investors have increased, which it is good news for the movie business,” he pointed out.
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.
