Movies
Madhya Pradesh, from heartland to global screens
MUMBAI: Lights, camera, action, and Madhya Pradesh is ready for its close-up. The heartland of India is fast emerging as a vibrant hub for filmmaking, blending local authenticity with stories that resonate across the globe.
At the recent session From Heartland to International Screens: MP in Focus, celebrated filmmakers, actors, and state leaders came together to explore how Madhya Pradesh is shaping narratives that travel far beyond borders. The panel was moderated by actor and voice artist Vijay Vikram Singh, who set the tone by highlighting the state’s unique blend of culture, heritage, and cinematic potential.
Madhya Pradesh tourism board additional managing director Bidisha Mukherjee, credited the state’s success to its film-friendly policies, ease of doing business, and exotic locations. “From heritage cities like Mandu and Orchha to rural landscapes such as Chambal, MP offers a range of locations that can fit any story,” she said. The state also incentivises women-led and environmentally conscious projects, providing additional support for filmmakers.
Speaking from personal experience, Sunny Hinduja, actor and producer from Indore, praised the warm hospitality and the homely feel of shooting in MP. “The people, the food, the culture, it all makes the filmmaking experience so welcoming,” he said. Hinduja also revealed plans to produce more content in the state, highlighting MP’s potential as a creative springboard.
The Viral Fever president Vijay Koshy underlined the professionalism and dedication of local crews, pointing out that the availability of trained technicians reduces the logistical burden for production houses. Filmmakers also noted that MP’s bureaucracy is unusually proactive, with shooting permissions granted quickly and processes made fully online.
Director Jitank Gurjar, hailing from Gwalior, reflected on the cultural diversity across the state. “Every 50 kilometres, the dialect, the culture, even the way people express emotions changes. Yet human emotions are universal, and MP captures that beautifully,” he said.
Actor Huma Qureshi added her perspective on MP’s growing film landscape, “The state doesn’t just provide locations; it becomes part of the story. There is a warmth and openness here that instantly connects with everyone on set, making creativity flow effortlessly.”
The session underscored Madhya Pradesh’s growing role in India’s creative economy. With a combination of government support, diverse locations, skilled talent, and a welcoming culture, the state is positioning itself as a preferred destination for filmmakers looking to tell stories that resonate both locally and globally.
Hindi
India’s telecom subscribers cross 1.32 billion in February 2026
Broadband base swells past 1.06 billion as Jio and Airtel tighten grip on the market.
MUMBAI: India’s telecom sector is ringing in steady growth once again adding millions of new connections every month while the race for broadband supremacy continues to heat up like a fiercely contested cricket match. According to the latest data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on 1 April 2026, the total telephone subscriber base in the country reached 1,321.31 million at the end of February 2026. This marked a net addition of 7.31 million subscribers during the month, translating into a monthly growth rate of 0.56 per cent.
Wireless subscribers (including mobile and Fixed Wireless Access) stood at 1,273.31 million, registering a net addition of 6.97 million and a growth rate of 0.55 per cent. Within this, urban wireless connections grew to 730.75 million (growth 0.70 per cent), while rural wireless subscribers reached 542.56 million (growth 0.35 per cent).
Wireline subscribers, though much smaller in scale, showed slightly faster growth. The total wireline base increased to 47.99 million, with a net addition of 0.34 million and a monthly growth rate of 0.70 per cent. Urban areas continued to dominate wireline connections with a share of 89.41 per cent.
Overall tele-density in India improved to 92.66 per cent. Urban tele-density stood at 150.68 per cent, while rural tele-density edged up to 60.02 per cent.
The broadband subscriber base crossed a significant milestone, reaching 1,059.05 million at the end of February 2026. This reflected a healthy net addition of 6.33 million subscribers and a monthly growth rate of 0.60 per cent from January’s figure of 1,052.72 million.
Segment-wise, mobile wireless access continued to drive the majority of growth with 996.52 million subscribers. Fixed Wireless Access (including 5G FWA) added 16.51 million, while wired broadband stood at 46.02 million.
Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd. maintained its commanding lead with 519.64 million broadband subscribers. Bharti Airtel Ltd. followed with 364.14 million, Vodafone Idea Ltd. with 129.36 million, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. with 28.70 million, and Atria Convergence Technologies Ltd. with 2.38 million.
Together, these top five players command a massive 98.60 per cent share of the total broadband market.
In the wireless (mobile) segment, private operators continued to dominate with 92.59 per cent market share, leaving public sector undertakings (BSNL and MTNL) with just 7.41 per cent.
Out of the total 1,257.29 million wireless (mobile) subscribers, 1,177.60 million were active on the peak Visitor Location Register (VLR) date, representing an impressive 93.66 per cent activity rate. Bharti Airtel led in this metric with 99.42 per cent of its subscribers active.
Meanwhile, 14.47 million subscribers submitted requests for Mobile Number Portability (MNP) in February, indicating healthy competition and customer churn across zones.
While urban areas still lead in absolute numbers, rural connectivity is slowly catching up. Rural wireless tele-density stood at 59.46 per cent, compared with the much higher urban figure of 142.32 per cent.
Fixed Wireless Access using 5G technology also showed promising traction, growing to 11.93 million subscribers. Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel are the primary players driving this segment.
The data paints a picture of a maturing yet still rapidly expanding telecom ecosystem. With total telephone subscribers now well past the 1.32 billion mark and broadband users comfortably above 1.06 billion, India continues to solidify its position as one of the world’s largest and most dynamic digital markets.
From bustling city streets to remote villages, more Indians are staying connected than ever before proving that when it comes to telecom, the country’s appetite for growth shows no signs of hanging up anytime soon.
