Event Coverage
Amsterdam all set for the Samsung IIFA Awards
MUMBAI: The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) has announced the sixth annual IIFA Weekend and Awards, at a press conference held in Amsterdam.
To be hosted at the picturesque and pulsating city of Amsterdam the IIFA Weekend 2005 and the Samsung IIFA Awards will feature among other events, the IIFA World premiere of the film ‘Parineeta’, the IIFA Foundation Celebrity Cricket Match, the IIFA Film Festival and the FICCI-IIFA Global Business Forum. Fans of cinema across the city can now look forward to exciting opportunities to meet their favourite Indian film stars in Amsterdam, as they partake in the IIFA Weekend celebrations.
The IIFA Weekend will be culminating with the Samsung IIFA Awards ceremony on 11 June at the splendid Amsterdam Arena. The IIFA Awards 2005 will be broadcast live and exclusive across the globe via Star TV at primetime on 11 June.
At the press conference, IIFA brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan said, “IIFA has consistently put in its best efforts to take Indian cinema to audiences across the globe and this year we are happy to bring the IIFA Weekend and Samsung IIFA Awards to Amsterdam, the magnificent gateway to Europe. Over the next four days, the Indian film fraternity will join the people of this picturesque city to recognize and applaud the achievements of Indian Cinema. Regarded as one of the most credible awards in India and abroad, the Samsung IIFA Awards has become a four-day festival and a collaboration of film industries across the globe. I am looking forward to the celebrations in Amsterdam this year.”
The press conference also witnessed the naming ceremony of Amsterdam’s beauty and pride- a magnificent tulip that was named after Aishwarya Rai. Hans van Driem, managing director of the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions, gave the tulip to Aishwarya Rai with the words: “Herewith I give you the Tulip. The Tulip is the symbol of the tourist destination Holland. This Tulip represents all the beautiful things of Holland. This Tulip will be named after one of the most beautiful women of the world, you Ms. Aishwarya Rai.”
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.
