Event Coverage
M&E industry need to grow at more than 12%
MUMBAI: The Media & Entertainment industry needs to get its act together to grow at a rate of more than 12.5 per cent to be on par with other sunshine sectors, said The Walt Disney Company India MD Ronnie Screwvala.
Srewvala said the India M&E sector has success written all over it provided the industry comes out of its complacency. He also said that innovation and disruption will be the norm.
"The industry is projected to grow at 12 per cent. However this growth is not enough as other sunshine sectors are growing at a much faster pace," said Disney India‘s head honcho.
Screwvala was convinced that India has the creative talent that would help it take the next big leap.
He also said that digitisation will change the dynamics of the broadcast industry. The early results of digitisation has been encouraging, he said.
The benefits of digitisation will only trickle down after two to three years.
"We have been waiting for digitisation for 20 years and it has finally happened," he said in a closing keynote address at Ficci Frames.
Joining debate with the industry on ratings system, Srewvala said the solution for a robust television ratings agency lies within the industry. The fact that almost 70 per cent of television households are outside the current ratings system is a matter of concern, he added.
On an optimistic note, he said that TAM is now covering more homes than it was covering earlier.
New media is a huge opportunity for the industry. However, the key is to find the right business model. India is one of the biggest mobile phone markets, which is also encouraging.
A Rs 1,000 crore blockbuster is not out of reach in future, he asserted.
Print, unlike other markets, is still growing in India at a healthy pace. The India DTH market is the biggest in the world. However, monetisation remains a concern.
On the contentious issue of censorship, an optimistic Screwvala said that India‘s track record is still commendable. The need, though, is to take it to the level of matured democracies.
Regional market‘s, he said, had shown phenomenal growth and are the future growth markets. Understanding consumer will also be key to growth.
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.
