Animation
MIP Junior 2024 draws large Indian presence
CANNES: It’s been a more compact MIP Junior which was flagged off on 18 October 2025 at the JW Marriot hotel in sunny Cannes, France. But most attendees appreciated the opportunities it offers for co-production, outsourcing, networking and keeping oneself updated about the developments in the kids and animation sector. MIP Junior had close to 1,000 registrants, despite the kids’ segment the world over going through its toughest and most trying times with viewer consumption moving towards streaming platforms.
The Indian animation industry was well represented with attendees from all over the country coming in decent numbers. In fact, the Indian MIP Junior contingent is the largest in the post pandemic era.
Among the Indian studios which were represented included: Hornbill Studios, Graphiti Multlmedia, Prayan Studios, Mesmor Studio, Studio56, Yoboho, USP Studios, Softoons Entertainment, Powerkids Entertainment, Purple Turtle and Guppy Theatre/Crossover Media & Design.
20 Indian representatives from various Indian studios were seen looking busy. Each one of them had their calendars packed with meetings and interactions with fellow professionals from different countries. And most of them were seen hobnobbing with others during the pre-opening party on the JW Marriot beach on 18 October and the opening one at the Majestic Hotel on 19 October.
MUMBAI: History is getting a fresh rewrite this time with code, creativity and a longer arc in mind. Lens Vault Studios has announced its first original production, Bal Tanhaji, marking the official entry of the newly launched, tech-driven studio into India’s evolving entertainment landscape.
Arriving six years after the box-office success of Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, the new project expands the universe rather than revisiting familiar ground. Bal Tanhaji explores uncharted narrative territory, signalling a clear shift from one-off cinematic spectacles to long-format, world-building storytelling designed for digital-first audiences.
At the heart of this ambition is Prismix Studios, the in-house generative AI and technology arm powering the creative engine behind the show. The studio’s approach blends storytelling with next-generation tools, aiming to reimagine how Indian IPs are created, scaled and sustained beyond theatrical releases.
For Lens Vault Studios chairman Ajay Devgn the new venture represents a deliberate step beyond traditional cinema. The focus is firmly on building long-form intellectual properties across fiction and non-fiction, tailored to changing viewing habits and platform-led consumption. He said the studio intends to explore formats that remain largely untapped, while drawing on the team’s experience with large-scale cinematic storytelling.
Lens Vault Studios founder and CEO Danish Devgn echoed that sentiment, describing Bal Tanhaji as the studio’s first generative-AI-led IP and the starting point of a broader vision. The aim, he noted, is to carry forward the legacy of the Tanhaji universe while connecting with younger audiences through a blend of powerful narratives and emerging technologies.
With Bal Tanhaji, Lens Vault Studios is planting its flag early not just launching a show, but signalling a larger play for cinematic universes that live, grow and evolve across platforms. If this debut is any indication, the future of Indian storytelling may be as much about imagination as it is about innovation.
