Event Coverage
‘Quote-Unquote’ What the top brass supporting Ficci Frames have to say…
Into its second year, Ficci Frames 2002, Global Convention on the Business of Entertainment, is much bigger this time round in terms of scale and scope. A look at what some of those who will be attending this high-powered media event have to say.
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 RS Lodha President FICCI |
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 Sushma Swaraj Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting |
“Ficci Global Convention on the Business of Entertainment has now been institutionalised and the entire industry looks forward to this annual event. For the government, this event is equally significant as we receive authentic first hand feedback and important inputs for our policy formulation. I am delighted to inaugurate this event for the second year.” |
| “I am glad to learn that Ficci is organising Frames 2002 on March 15-16 2002 that brings together experts from the entertainment industry and financial sector. The Indian entertainment industry is one of the largest in the world and has tremendous potential for growth as also for generating export earnings. I do hope that the deliberations at the conference would generate valuable feedback from the industry on the recent initiative taken by FI’s in this field and help us in evolving an efficient framework for financing this high growth industry in a viable manner” |  PP Vohra Chairman and MD IDBI |
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“Innovation in broadcasting is vital if a channel is to survive and prosper. In my four years at BBC World, I’ve witnessed many changes from the early in India to our current total of over 200 million household across the word. In India, the broadcasting landscape has changed beyond all recognition last year switched our signal across south Asia from analogue to digital, as part of our ongoing technological development and innovation, enabling us to deliver the highest quality signal to cable operators in India. In programming terms, we continue to pioneer new formats -such as introducing India viewers to the genre of reality programming -and deliver ground breaking television. I look forward to bring part of the distinguished Ficci programme and to discussing these important issues further.” |
| “From the development of the Asian region in the 21st century, the possibility of television media is infinite. In particular, role of the public space offered by public broadcasters is pivotal to the development of information- and-entertainment-based society. I wish you the best of success with the Frames.” |
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” Ficci is happy to once again present Frames the global convention on the business of entertainment. Over the years Frames has become a well recognised forum for the entertainment industry in which the best minds from the national international arena participate, discuss and deliberate on critical issues of the entertainment industry.” |
| “Frames symbolises the buoyant growth of the Indian Entertainment Industry. In three years not only has it become the most important gathering of entertainment professionals in India, Frames has also become synonymous with major policy initiatives both from the Industry and the Government. Frames 2002 will provide a forum for exchange of ideas and visions of the new and fast changing world of entertainment and the business opportunities it offers.” |
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| Michael Connors Senior VP (Asia Pacific) Motion Pictures Association of America Michael Connors |
“The world entertainment community including the Motion Picture Association of America has been following with great interest the economic and commercial scene in lndia. We are seeing an increasingly vibrant Indian film industry moving clearly to a greater leadership role in the world entertainment scene. Certainly a top priority will be to discuss how best to protect our entertainment form piracy; whether that be film, home video or television. The new digital technologies bring new opportunities as well as new challenges, and the time could not be more appropriate. We have every confidence that Frames 2002 will be a major event in this year’s world calendar.” |
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“We are delighted to support Frames 2002 through our participation in the Broadcast session and participate in its efforts to shape the global vision for this dynamic industry. This is in line with our mission to provide a comprehensive environment and cutting-edge infrastructure to catalyse the growth of the media industry.”
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Saeed Al Muntafiq |
| Andre Chaubeau DG International federation of Film Producers Association | “New technologies raise difficulties and concerns but can also create major opportunities for the distribution of filmed entertainment. The Indian Film Industry will have to face, like all film industries in the world, these new developments. With its long standing tradition in motion pictures making, India can be a major contributor to find the appropriate answer. FlAPF is therefore particularly delighted to support the initiatives of Frames 2002, and thanks the Film Federation of India, one of FIAPF major members, and Ficci, for their initiative in bringing together this event which is to become a major event not only for India, but also for the world wide motion pictures industry.” |
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.
