Event Coverage
Digital cinema likely to revamp the way content
UFO Moviez CEO Rajesh Mishra pointed out while moderating the session ‘Importance of Digital Cinema in India‘ on the second day at FICCI Frames 2008. A number of major Hollywood studios have joined hands and formed the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) body that has come up with standard formats for digital cinema content. India‘s economy is however, not yet ready to fully adopt the DCI norms for digital cinema. According to Real Image director Senthil Kumar the biggest problem is piracy as the high quality of projections makes it easy to record using camcorders and pirate the movie. | |||
Don Savant from IMAX who introduced the audience with the successes of IMAX at the digital cinema front stated that the major collections by the hit movies around the world came from the digital cinema. Animation movies like Beowulf and live action VFX movies like Harry Potter and Spiderman recorded a major part of their box office collections through digital theatres around the world. | |||
Ad Labs COO Patrick vons Sychowski said that “technical diversity” arise due to the differences in formats of the various digital cinema platforms across the country. The filmmakers have to get their films converted in all of the formats for their film to get released in all the digital theatres which increases the cost and discourages the industry to adopt digital cinema. He appealed to the industry to work together for establishment of digital cinema as a standard. Speakers observed that digital cinema system cuts down the cost of releasing actual celluloid prints and also ensures release throughout the network at the same time cutting down the incentives of piracy. Also, the systems are not very bulky making it easy for exhibitors to adapt this new system. The major advantage of digital cinemas will be to the animation industry. The content produced is mainly in the digital format. To release in India cinemas, they have to release physical prints. The evolution of digital cinema will cut down this step saving a lot of the producer‘s money which indeed can be used for improvement of the project. A major challenge of digital cinema in India is the conversion cost. However, Tony Adamson from DLP Cinema Equipments presented some really encouraging facts about digital cinema like the running cost of a digital cinema theatre is much less than the existing system. Availability of alternate content like operas, sports events, news, programming for kids, classic movies etc also adds to the advantages of digital cinema. According to Adamson, half the screens around the world are likely to go digital by 2013. Makrand Karanjikar from UFO Moviez explained how reliable delivery of content, short cycle of exhibition and high level of security are some of the key attributes of digital cinema. He concluded with his statement, “Let the market make the call for digital cinemas”. |
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.
