Event Coverage
Sony Pictures to showcase new content at Mipcom
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SPTI director licensing India Leena Dutta says that the company will be taking new shows which clients have not seen before. “Due to the Writers‘ strike in Hollywood this year, we, like all the other Hollywood Studios, were not able to screen as many shows back in May during L.A. Screenings as they were not ready or had not been picked up at that time. Now that we have additional pilot pick-ups, we will be introducing these new shows to clients at Mipcom. In addition, we will be showcasing a new multi-platform show starring movie star Rosario Dawson called Gemini Division.”
Gemini Division is a science fiction series consisting of five to seven minute long webisodes.
As far as Asian content is concerned, it is showcasing the upcoming Bollywood film Meerabhai Not Out. This is a cricket themed film with Mandira Bedi. It also features Anil Kumble. Korean films Venus and Mars and Open City will also be on offer.
One show from the US that will be showcased is The Beast. In this pilot Patrick Swayze plays an undercover FBI agent. The Unusuals is a one-hour dramedy set in Manhattan, featuring Amber Tamblyn as a police officer whose choice of profession has made her the black sheep of her wealthy family. Tamblyn will play Casey Shraeger, a newly transferred homicide detective who learns that her fellow officers have quirks and secrets.
On the animation front the company will showcase Sit Down Shut Up. This is a new animated series, with animated characters against non-animated backgrounds. It depicts the lives and quirks of nine staffers at a high school in a small fishing town. This series shows that teachers have lives and personal problems too. It airs in the US on Fox.
Dutta adds that while Mipcom is certainly an essential part of the calendar, this year it is a bit unusual. Normally, Mipcom would be a good time to close deals on new shows screened at LA Screenings which by mid-October would have already launched in the US. But due to the Writer‘s strike earlier this year, SPTI will be looking to debut new shows at the market.
Asked about the impact of the economic recession on the business that will be transacted at Mipcom, she conceedes that the global economic crisis affects every single one of the players and it will definitely influence the mood of the market. “The entertainment business, however, seems to be quite resilient during times of economic hardship. History has shown that when times are tough, people tend to turn to movies and TV shows for escapism even more so. We hope this will hold true as we deal with these tough times.”
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.
