Event Coverage
US ready to collaborate with Indian VFX and animation industry
MUMBAI: The biggest 40 hits in cinema all over the world of all time have been those with special visual effects or animation and, therefore, this is an industry that has a very bright future.
This was the general consensus during a panel on ‘Visual Effects: A Global Perspective’ at the ongoing FIicci Frames 2010, where participants who were mostly from the United States said they were open to collaboration with Indian entrepreneurs since this country had a vast trained resource.
Tim McGovern who is Co-chairman of the Visual Effects Society in the US listed some of the top hits of all time including ‘Titanic’ and ‘Avatar’ and said all these were visual effects-driven.
But he admitted that VFX was no use without a good story or good actors, which was why the films by James Cameroon had succeeded.
Noting that VFX techniques had proved that nothing was impossible in this field, he also said some of the films that had succeeded in 2009 had used a mix of technologies including animation and VFX.
Speaking about the Society, he said it was an educational forum with chapters in many countries. He said any country which could put up 50 or more members could open a chapter.
He said the VFX industry was growing and needed a lot of trained people, and so Hollywood was coming to India in search of talent.
Bruno Sargeant who is Film and TV Industry Manager (Media and Entertainment) in Autodesk Inc. said there was a huge market for VFX in India and the country was no longer just an outsourcing model. He said there had been a lot of consolidation in this industry and Indians were investing in US companies and vice versa. He also spoke of increasing convergence of games, films and TV.
Kerner CEO Eric Edmeades said the US was open to working with Indian partners in the field of VFX and animation.
EyeQube Creative Director and CEO Charles Darby who moderated the discussion agreed and said there was a huge market in this field.
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.
