Event Coverage
Kainaz Karmakar named One Show 2025 jury president
Mumbai: Ogilvy India CCO Kainaz Karmakar in Mumbai, has been named jury president for out-of-home, print & promotional for The One Show 2025.
Senior creative leaders from around the world are appointed as Jury Presidents to lead the judging for each discipline, and have a vote on the work. The list of confirmed jury presidents can be viewed here.
In addition, members of The One Club board of directors will be present during judging, serving as non-voting facilitators in jury discussions.
“The One Show’s reputation is built on the integrity of its juries and judging process,” said The One Club CEO Kevin Swanepoel. “Kainaz and the rest of the jury presidents will help further this legacy of the fairest and most positive judging process.”
Entries for The One Show 2025 are now open, with fees increasing after each deadline. The super-early entry deadline for maximum savings is 1 November 2024, followed by the early deadline on 13 December 2024, the regular deadline on 31 January 2025, the extended deadline on 14 February 2025, and the final deadline on 28 February 2025.
The full juries will be announced in December, with early judging starting in January 2025. Finalists will be announced in April, and winners of the gold, silver, bronze pencil, and merit awards will be revealed during creative week in May 2025 in New York.
Submissions must include work background, creative ideas, insights and strategy, execution, and results to support judges’ decisions and enhance the One Show awards archive.
All winning entries are showcased in the archive and viewable for free for one year. Winners also receive a complimentary one-year membership to The One Club, which includes full archive access.
Agencies, brands, production companies, and individuals behind winning work are featured in The One Show Creative Rankings and The One Club’s Global Creative Rankings, which combine results from The One Show, ADC Annual Awards, Type Directors Club (TDC) Awards, ADCE Awards, and One Asia Creative Awards. Winners are ranked globally, regionally, and by country.
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.
