Event Coverage
Keshet International unveils its interactive prime time format
MUMBAI: Following the international success of its trailblazing talent show RISING STAR,Keshet International has today unveiled itsplans to launch an innovative real time interactive format ELEVATOR PITCH. The high concept show sees entrepreneurs stepping into an elevator to deliver a pitch of a lifetime to business tycoons and the entire live viewing audience, in the hope of securing funding to take their passion projects to the next level.
ELEVATOR PITCH is a live interactive viewing event which directly engages the audience and gives them an influence over the fate of the show’s contestants and their ideas. They are asked “Would you buy the product/idea being pitched?” and thereby encouraged to watch the show in real time and take an active role in how it unfolds via a digital app. The new launch underlines Keshet’scommitment to continue bringing pioneering digital formats, which change the way viewers watch television, to the world.Keshet has again teamed with Tedy Productions, which it also partnered with on RISING STAR and other hit formats, to produce the primetime show.
In a new and unique format pillar, the live viewing audience effectively takes part in the quickest and largest market research test ever executed on TV. An entrepreneur must pitch to the nation and the five tycoons located on the top floor, to secure a minimum percentage of the viewing audience and the tycoons’ interest within the time limited elevator journey. Only then can they enter the studio and take part in a dramatic live bidding war with the tycoons who have voted “in”. If they can’t travel up the required number of floors, the elevator returns to the ground floor and the entrepreneur sadly leaves without ever coming face to face with their potential investors.
ELEVATOR PITCHis a dramatic and cutthroat television event that instantly determines the level of market confidence in an idea and,by putting the end consumers center stage, lets themdecide whether to press the button and elevate the entrepreneurs to the top of their game.
ELEVATOR PITCH will launch on Keshet Broadcasting in Israel later in 2014. Its trailer will be revealed at The RISING STAR Case Study session at MIPTV formats on Sunday 6 April at 15.40 – 16.00. For more info see: http://www.my-mip.com/en/Sessions/4911/RISING-STAR-FORMAT-CASE-STUDY
Visit the Keshet International stand R8.C9, Riviera 8, Palais Des Festivals,at MIPTV 7 – 10 April 2014
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.
