Event Coverage
Live entertainment needs more government support
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MUMBAI: Optimism and expectations of sustained growth of the live entertainment industry in India thrived at the session on “Live Entertainment and Shows: Engaging the audience” on the opening day of FRAMES 2003. The verdict was very clear – “It can only get better from what it is today!” The common consensus during the course of discussions included points such as : (i) The government needs to set up the system of one window clearance for all kinds of licensing requirements; (ii) There is lacuna of infrastructure for huge live events; need for better stadiums (iii) Events have to be used innovatively to suit the marketers needs and create strong brand experiences. |
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The panelists on the session included Showtime Events India MD Michael Menezes, Fountainhead Events chairman Brian Tellis, Teamworks Films MD Sanjoy Roy, Publicis India Communications MD Bharat Dabholkar and the session was moderated by DNA Networks MD T Venkat Vardhan.  The session focused on the issues plaguing the event industry such as prohibitive entertainment taxes and other regulatory issues. It also advocated the need for building media brands through events. While addressing the gathering, Showtime’s Menezes said: “The government should start off by stepping in and provide stimulus which could actually help grow the live entertainment industry. Taxes need to be brought down to a real level. We also need various incentives to develop and take Indian entertainment to international levels. Menezes pointed out that the developed countries such as the US have more than 180 “live” events every year. “Live Entertainment is a huge revenue generator globally. For the marketer it makes sense to back events because entertainment can be a powerful tool,” he added. Fountainhead’s Tellis reasoned: “More brands need to step out and create experiences. Basically, we may term them as events, but actually they are experiences. The experience of a brand is ultimately what the consumer looks for.. that is what compels a consumer to buy. In a cluttered and saturated market one thing that a brand needs to do is ‘behave differently’.” Tellis said that in marketing terms an event is basically a “brand bubble”. “For event companies to survive and the market to grow, what needs to be done is working the other way round. We should create an event for a certain brand after understanding its communication needs rather than the conventional way of creating an event and then looking for brands to back them. Ultimately the basic purpose for doing an event is to use the event to felicitate strong emotional relations between the consumer and brand,” added Tellis. Teamworks’ Roy who focused on developing the festivals culture in India said: “Internationally, festivals (whether they are film festivals or others) symbolise the place, the town or country they are held in.” He cited the example of the Edinburgh festival which rakes in millions of pounds annually. “A mixture of tourism, culture, heritage should be used to develop the festival culture in India,” added Roy. Dabholkar, who is also a well-known theatre personality and has directed scores of successful plays in the past spoke on the state of theatre in India. Speaking in his inimitable style, Dabholkar had the audience in splits as he regaled the crowds with a couple of humourous anecdotes. Dabholkar stressed on the need to “know your target group” before creating any kind of entertainment product. |
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.
