Event Coverage
Young Indian animators look to make mark at Cannes
CANNES:Two youngsters from Hyderabad, India have a dream: create animation from within the country’s shores which gains acceptance internationally. So what do they do?
Well, they quit their respective jobs as animators with a Hyderabad based animation company Dataquest in February 2003 to set up Parijat Studio Dataquest. They invested their own capital to produce two pilots. And now they have taken the big leap by showcasing their creation at MipCom Junior in Cannes against the global heavyweights of animation.
Meet Nalin Thakur and Atish Tripathi, both under 30-ers who are living out the dream they had.
Says the boyish looking 25 year old Tripathi, “The response to our two shows has been good. Both Bob & the Machine Show and Boris, Desmond and Hubert have had 30 screenings each. The topmost show screened at Mipcom Junior last year had 54 screenings.”
Tripathi reveals that the duo created the characters and scripted the two shows themselves in their own apartment. “We also contracted artists to do the drawings. And then animated them ourselves.”
The Mipcom Junior site describes The Bob & The Machine show, as where “The Road runner show” meets “Terminator 2”. The machine’s only goal is to destroy Bob and Bob matches his wit against the might of the machine. The scenario is very futuristic and sci-fi.
The second show has the following characters Boris (a pig), Desmond (a bull), and Hubert (A donkey). Boris is a cleanliness junkie and runs a fast food joint, while Desmond is in a rock and roll band. Ironically, Hubert is an intellectual donkey who loves to read. The story charts their experiences and adventures together as they cohabitate under one roof.
Tripathi says that he believes in his creation. “We are looking for a broadcaster to buy into our pet project or even a distributor. Following which we hope to bring in a co-producer. I am quite excited about the prospects and MipCom Junior has been very encouraging for me,” he says. “I am confident that we will have something going in the not so distant future. Fox Kids, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon have all watched my show.”
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.
