Event Coverage
MDA, Beach House Pictures join hands with Lonely Planet for TV series
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MUMBAI: Travel media outfit Lonely Planet Television (LPTV), Singapore -based production company Beach House Pictures (BHP) and the Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) announced at Mipcom the launch of a new 13-part flagship television series Lonlely Planet: Roads Less Travelled, in conjunction with broadcaster National Geographic International and distributor BBC Worldwide. The show is a cross-platform travel adventure franchise featuring for the first time real-life Lonely Planet authors on the job as they scour the world’s roads less travelled in search of the latest and greatest travel experiences on earth. Lonely Planet founder and independent traveller Tony Wheeler is slated to be one of the four authors featured in the new series. Lonely Planet Television head Laurence Billiet says, “Everybody thinks being paid to travel is one the best gigs in the world but at Lonely Planet we know it’s a really tough job. In this series for the first time on television we’ll reveal behind-the-scenes what it’s really like to be a Lonely Planet author.”
The show will premiere on the Nat Geo Adventure channel next year in Asia, France, Germany , Italy, Spain, Turkey, Australia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. A cross-platform initiative, the new series will be supported by a website showcasing the itineraries featured in the TV series as well as complementary Lonely Planet destination content and travel services. Over time, the multi-platform franchise is expected to span DVD, mobile and web-TV. The series will be co-produced with Beach House Pictures, who have worked with Lonely Planet on a number of television productions since signing an agreement with LPTV in 2005 to co-produce all Lonely Planet-branded television series in Singapore. Beach House Pictures MD Jocelyn Little says, “We’re excited by the opportunity to join forces with the Media Development Authority of Singapore, National Geographic and BBC Worldwide for the first time on such a major flagship series. All the partners believe strongly in the potential of this unique series, and expect it to turn into an on-going multi-media franchise”. MDA CEO Dr Christopher Chia says, “Lonely Planet is a cultural icon well-loved by many all over the world. This is a wonderful opportunity for Beach House to co-produce with well-known international partners who share the same vision of delivering quality content on multiple platforms to the global audiences and showcase the world’s best travel experiences to the world“. |
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.
