Event Coverage
Zee hogs limelight via extensive branding
MUMBAI: Ficci Frames, which kicked off with much aplomb in Mumbai today, saw the Zee Network hogging the limelight with an overpowering brand presence at Hotel Renaissance, the venue for the three-day convention.
The Subhash Chandra-promoted network, which recently underwent an image makeover and change of logos for all its channels, surely made its presence felt. Be it the hotel corridors, convention halls, media center, the driveway or even the Gala Night celebration, which was held at the end of the first day, Zee (logo and branding) was all over.
The new logos of the various Zee channels (Zee TV, Zee Marathi, Zee News, Zee Bangla, Zee Gujarati, etc.) were displayed at regular intervals throughout the main hall of the convention.
On the ceiling of the hotel corridors one saw innumerable hanging displays, sporting various Zee logos, along with the Ficci Frames logo.
Incidentally, if you haven’t got it still, Zee Network is the official convention partner of Frames 2005 and even covered the day’s proceedings extensively on Zee News, including live coverage when Chandra and I&B minister Jaipal Reddy were addressing the gathering, which had a fair share of glamour and beauty amongst the business-minded ones.
The network had also put up a wide flat screen television set with the Zee channels airing on it in the hotel corridor where different companies had their stalls displayed.
The Gala Night, which wrapped up first day’s proceedings by honouring two stalwarts of the Hindi film industry — Waheeda Rehman and Shammi Kapoor — also saw an all-pervasive presence of Zee.
Even the acts performed were managed in a manner that conveyed the Zee message throughout. Singer Shaan, who performed at the Gala Night, was introduced by the emcee (again a Zee person) as the host of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, which airs on Zee TV. Not only that, there was also an act by the two winners of Zee’s talent hunt — Cinestars Ki Khoj.
Though critics might carp that no other media partner of Ficci Frames had displayed such fondness for such a public display, it cannot be denied that Chandra does command attention and certainly has a knack for hogging the limelight in an environment that was full of stalwarts from various walks of life. That’s, probably, called the rub-off effect — from Chandra on to his company.
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.
