Event Coverage
Vidnet 2024: The new content tangle
Mumbai: The OTT business in India is buzzing with new streamers, niche, and language offerings. However, early players are struggling as heavy content spending isn’t matching revenues, and India-specific low pricing hasn’t spurred subscriptions. Growth has plateaued as consumers return to post-COVID normalcy, preferring to binge occasionally.
Adding to the churn is the shift towards AVOD by giants like JioCinema, offering premium events like cricket for free, with Disney+Hotstar following suit. This has strained streaming bottom lines. The rise of FAST channels is also causing industry jitters. Vidnet explores the future of the streaming ecosystem. The Vidnet 2024 is being held on 19 July 2024, at Hotel Sahara Star, Mumbai.
This panel explored the evolving content landscape with constant changes in production and distribution. The new 30-plus episode format on OTT shows (TV++) is seen as a game changer, while premium originals (6-10 episodes) remain popular among urban audiences. Increasing platforms and aggregators are expanding content reach and footprint. Audio content is also making significant strides. How can these strategies be assimilated to create an effective content platform?
The session was chaired by Boston Consulting Group managing director & partner Akshay Kohli. It included the following panelists: Shemaroo Entertainment COO-digital, Saurav Srivastava, MMTV head of digital & OTT Sathyajith Nair, Klassroom CEO Dhruv Javeri and Chana JOR, V Hunt Digital Media director & CEO Pratap Jain.
Emphasising the dual nature of content in the global digital landscape, Saurabh Srivastava said, “Good content can be language agnostic and appeal globally, but it also has a soul tied to local culture and nuances. Both will coexist, with some stories resonating universally and others deeply rooted in specific cultural and linguistic contexts.”
Sathyajith Nair underscored the importance of genuine content that connects with audiences on a personal level and said: “Content should be genuine, focusing on its trueness rather than catering to a specific audience. Our strategy ensures that shows reach a Pan India audience by targeting promotions to individual tastes, as evidenced by a recent show reaching 98 per cent of PIN codes in India.”
By staying true to the essence of the content, creators can achieve widespread reach and resonance across diverse regions.
Talking about educational content, Dhruv Javeri shed light on the distinct approach required for academic and extracurricular content. Javeri said, “In education, content creation starts differently. We have two types: academic content, defined by board standards, and extracurricular content. For academics, we write stories from the provided content and visualize them. The focus is on innovative pedagogies to enhance learning, aligned with the new education framework.”
Highlighting the strategy of creating exclusive content to captivate and retain users, Pratap Jain said, “Creating exclusive content is key to engaging and retaining users, as opposed to relying on content available on multiple platforms. By casting new talents and producing fresh, simple content, we stand out in the market, similar to the appeal of popular YouTube videos.”
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.
