Event Coverage
Data growth in entertainment is next step in telecom industry’s evolution: Pilot
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Speaking at the 12th edition of Ficci-Frames, Minister of State for Communication and Information Technology Sachin Pilot said consumers will increasingly want data-intensive content. Data through means like movie downloads will grow. This can also reach the tier three and tier four towns and villages and help spread literacy. For this to happen, the entertainment industry must partner with the local industry – the telecom operators – to create content.
He noted that the country was now at an inflection point in technology. “Through developments in science, technologies have converged. We are moving towards a digital era.”
He gave the example of optical discs and micro-processors. He said advancements in miniaturisation were the key to the growth of the sector. What was earlier a roomful of hardware equipment was now software on a computer. He said software allowed for media compression and so it is easier and faster to download material like movies.
A youngster can now make a digital movie and distribute it online. Mobile phones allow one to upload and download videos. This will dissolve the divide between producers and consumers of content, he added.
However, he noted that the challenge of Intellectual Property Rights and piracy grew with the digital medium and could prove to be a disincentive. One must look at doing things like cloud sourcing and being able to give consumers content on the fly. “As the IT industry grows, we must all work together to address challenges.”
Stewart Beck, the Canadian High Commissioner to India and Bhutan, also referred to the importance of digital technology at the inaugural session of Ficci-Frames He noted that the digital arena is the one that will attract investments between India and Canada. “Canada offers digital media enterprises an attractive environment.” Canada is the partner country at Frames.
However, the digital environment offers challenges and content producers often struggle for an audience. Changes are happening at breakneck speed. Companies that want to take advantage of digital technology have the dual challenge of servicing their audience needs while creating business opportunities for tomorrow, he said.
He noted that eight of the top 10 video game publishers worldwide are Canadian. In terms of companies using Canada as a hub to develop software for games, Canada is the third largest market after the United States and Japan. Companies go to Canadian companies like Autodesk and Softimage for their requirements.
He said Canada in the recent past has been at an advantage as it has not suffered the effects of a downturn, primarily because of 11 years of a surplus budget. The government has been able to invest in research chairs and funding development for digital media.
He said Ontario generated $1 billion in revenue for digital media. Vancouver has publishers like Activision and Vivendi.
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.
