iWorld
Kevin Vaz urges lighter regulation as India’s media story hits new high
MUMBAI: When the lights came up at Ficci Frames’ silver jubilee edition, JioStar Entertainment CEO and president of the Indian Digital Media Industry Foundation Kevin Vaz, took the stage with a rallying cry: “Rise Together.” The theme Reimagine, Innovate, Strengthen, Empower set the tone for a morning that was equal parts reflection and call to action.
Marking 25 years of one of India’s most influential media and entertainment (M&E) gatherings, Vaz reminded the audience how far the industry has travelled since 2001, when Ficci Frames coincided with the government formally granting industry status to M&E. “It opened the doors to institutional finance, enabling capital flows, investments, and risk-taking in content and technology,” he noted, a turning point that defined India’s creative economy.
Vaz saluted industry stalwarts like Yash Chopra, Karan Johar, and Uday Shankar for steering FRAMES through the years, while welcoming dignitaries including Maharashtra’s Cultural Affairs minister Ashish Shelar, MIB Secretary Sanjay Jaju, and actor Ayushmann Khurrana. “A quarter century of dialogue, discovery, and doing,” he said, “and yet the best is still ahead.”
From satellite TV to OTT, from animation and VFX to gaming, the sector has evolved at lightning speed. India’s “AND” market, Vaz said, stands out globally for how television and digital coexist each expanding the other. “Unlike Western markets, India’s consumers haven’t chosen between TV and digital. They’ve embraced both,” he quipped, adding that the combined strength of PayTV, FreeTV, and Connected TV continues to grow the overall M&E pie.
Sports, too, has emerged as India’s cultural engine. “Cricket may rule, but football, kabaddi and esports are fast catching up,” Vaz observed, calling for ease-of-doing-business reforms to boost live broadcasting from India.
On cinema, he celebrated how regional and independent voices have made global waves from RRR and The Elephant Whisperers at the Oscars to Indian films shining at Cannes and Berlin. “Our stories aren’t just travelling,” Vaz declared, “they’re leading.”
He spotlighted the rise of the AVGC sector, now moving from outsourcing to creating original IP, with 500 plus million gamers and the National Centre of Excellence in Mumbai giving India global creative heft. With MeitY’s support, gaming startups are scaling worldwide proof that technology and storytelling are increasingly entwined.
But amid the applause, Vaz urged urgency. “The pace of change is accelerating,” he warned, “and this calls for stronger collaboration between business and policy-makers.” His sharpest message was reserved for regulators: “The heavy-handed regulation of linear broadcasting has stifled innovation. We need forbearance, a light-touch regime that allows creativity and competition to flourish.”
Broadcasting, contributing nearly 40 per cent of the Indian M&E industry, he emphasised, remains central to the prime minister’s vision of making India the world’s content hub. “We’re in a golden era,” he said, “but to truly lead, quality must match ambition and innovation must be inclusive.”
As Frames 25 concluded its opening key notes Vaz’s address resonated as both celebration and manifesto, a reminder that India’s creative economy, employing millions and inspiring billions, is ready for its next act.
“Together,” he said, “we will Rise reimagining the next 25 years of storytelling, policy, and purpose.”
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
