Event Coverage
Ficci Frames 2002 concludes; need for corporatisation, stamping out piracy principal threads of convention
It ended as it had begun. With a call to corporatise or perish. The film industry that is. The other key issue – piracy being the single greatest threat that the entertainment industry is facing – about sums up the two recurring themes of the third edition of the annual global convention on the business of entertainment – Ficci Frames (Films Radio Audio-visuals Music Events and Shows) 2002, that ended this evening at the Renaissance Convention Centre, Powai, in Mumbai.
At the valedictory session marking the conclusion of Frames 2002, this was re-emphasised by all key speakers. Amit Khanna, chairman convergence committee, Ficci, KV Krishnamurthy, chairman, Bank of India, Michael Connors, senior V-P, Motion Pictures Association of America and Hema Malini, chairperson, National Film Development Corporation, all referred to one or both these issues in their speeches.
The concluding day’s message tied in to what veteran south Indian actor Kamal Haasan said at the inauguration yesterday: that the industry needed to accept the inevitable – change. While making a strong case for corporatisation in the entertainment industry, he stressed the need to feed off the wolves of technology, rather than while also asking for more stringent anti-piracy laws.
That the government needed to put copy right laws in place and make punishment mandatory for using unauthorised content was also stressed.
Shushanto Roy of the Sahara Group – the Frames 2002 convention partner – pledged that Sahara would fully support Ficci Frame 2003 and said he was all for a permanent relationship being fostered.
Khanna summed up what the two days’ deliberations had brought forth:
1)Unequivocal agreement that the industry has great growth potential (the Arthur Anderson report unveiled at the inauguration revealed that the industry had outperformed the projections it had set for itself at last years convention. The projected figures for this year was Rs 128 billion, but according to Anderson partner Farokh Balsara, the target reached was Rs 8 billion higher at Rs 136 billion).
2) Be professional or perish.
3) Need for a dis-intermediated world of entertainment.
4) Regulatory framework should put in place.
5) The industry needs to get its act together and take action against piracy.
6) The launch of the E-entertainment alliance.
Speaking on behalf of the Government of Maharashtra, Govind Swarup, principle secretary, culture, declared that the state government would back whatever is beneficial for the industry as it had done in the past.
And as a follow up to last year’s announcement by the Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI), that it had set aside a Rs 1000 million corpus fund for film financing (of which Rs 700 million has already been disbursed) Bank of India chairman KV Krishnamurthy said his institution has budgeted Rs 500 million for the film industry. He however added a rider. There has to be discipline in budgeting, transparency and accountability.
Yash Chopra, chairman, entertainment committee, Ficci in his closing statement made one significant announcement: that Ficci Frames 2003 would be even bigger next time round. It is to be held over three days instead of the current two – the dates being 14, 15 and 16 March 2003.
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.
