Event Coverage
New initiatives at FICCI Frames 2018
MUMBAI: The 19th edition of FICCI Frames to be inaugurated by the I&B and Textiles minister Smriti Irani on March 4 is all set to be a grand event.
There are a lot of interesting sessions lined up with few new initiatives this year.
The annual media and entertainment global convention will kick-start on the 4th evening with the launch event, which will be followed by the CEOs round-table addressed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The 4-day event that will commence from the 4th and conclude on the 7th will see the who’s who from the media and entertainment industry attend, including the likes of Karan Johar, Shabana Azmi, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Nandita Das among many others.
One of the major attractions will be the launch of a content market, which is expected to bring over 70 buyers and sellers of content from across the world to this platform.
FICCI FRAMES CONTENT MARKET – A CONTENT BUYER AND SELLER PARADISE
The 1st edition of the Content Market is aimed at facilitating the business of Content. Over 70 buyers from across the globe have been invited for the bazaar, including the likes of 102 Distribution, Edko Films, Shoreline Entertainment, Spuul, Top Entertainment, Aurora Global Media Capital, Front Row entertainment, Alpha Violet Sarl and Indian companies like Zee enterprises, Star, Eros Now, Reliance entertainment among others.
In the first edition of the market, a special screening facility has also been set up to introduce festival programmers and key buyers to a highly curated slate of new Indian films. Festival programmers from International film festivals such as London, Venice, Edinburgh among others will also be in attendance.
With over 100 sellers and over 70 buyers of content expected to be part of the 1st content market organized by FICCI, this sets the ball rolling for greater content exchange.
Speaking about the 1st content market Leena Jaisani, FICCI said “This is being organized with the support and advise from the media and entertainment industry professionals. There was a dearth for such a market and with this first step, we hope to move ahead towards filling this void and facilitating more business for content.”
International Women’s Day Celebrations with Women Leaders at FICCI FRAMES
On 5th March, few women leader will get together to discuss women empowerment in the digital era, the rise of women movements, and how the community can support the development of more women leaders in the future.
Led by Maya Hari, Managing Director of Asia Pacific at Twitter, who will be moderating the session, the panel will feature Director of Lipstick under my burkha Alankrita Shrivastava Actor Gul Panag, Author of Face at the window Kiran Manral; Deputy Editor of Rolling Stones India, Nirmika Singh and film producer and founder of IconicBot, Vishakha Singh
Other Important sessions
Few of the other important sessions would include discussions on Film Tourism, The future of TV in India, Box Office Collections of films, Biopics made in India, Women Power in Films, Screen density in India, Digital Revolution, Investments in Sports, Fake News, Low budget content heavy films, Regional Films going beyond regions, Films making money internationally, GST in Entertainment sector and Cyber security.
There will also be a masterclass with Director Anand L Rai, a case study on web series Breathe along with a workshop on Facebook.
Annual Media and Entertainment reports to be launched
The annual media and entertainment report on figures related to entertainment industry and an Economic Contribution Report (ECR) for 2018 will also be launched.
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.
