News

India’s booming film, television and streaming industry generated $61.2 billion in total economic contribution during 2024, according to a new report from the Motion Picture Association (MPA) in collaboration with Deloitte.

The findings, unveiled at Mumbai’s inaugural World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (Waves), paint a picture of a thriving creative ecosystem supporting 2.64 million jobs nationwide.

The report, supported by the India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India’s top streamer JioStar, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci), the Producers Guild of India, and Creative First, reveals the sector’s direct gross output reached $16.8 billion in 2024, demonstrating resilience following pandemic challenges.

Looking ahead, researchers project 6-7% compound annual growth over the next four years, potentially reaching combined revenues of approximately $17.5 billion by 2029. More optimistically, with effective regulatory measures, growth could accelerate to 9-10%, pushing revenues to nearly $20 billion.

MPA chair and CEO Charles Rivkin addressed the...

Revenues from India’s digital media sector surpassed television income for the first time in 2024, according to the latest Ficci-ey annual report, growing 17% to reach $9.35Bn (INR802BN) and contributing 32% to the overall pie.

Meanwhile, revenues from television, which has been the biggest sector for 20 years, declined 4.5% to $7.9Bn (INR679BN). Linear TV revenues fell for the second consecutive year with a 6% drop in advertising revenue and a 3% decline in subscription revenue. Pay-tv homes decreased by six million, although free TV and connected TV homes increased.

Film was another contracting sector with domestic box office down 5% from $1.4Bn (INR120BN) in 2023 to $1.3Bn (INR114BN) last year, according to Ficci-ey figures. Overall film revenue was also down 5% to $2.2Bn (INR187BN), with a 10% drop in both digital and satellite rights as broadcast and Ott buyers focused on profitability. Telugu-language Pushpa 2: The Rule was the top-grossing film of 2024 with $164M...

Indian screen legend Kamal Haasan has been tapped to head the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s (Ficci) Media and Entertainment Committee South, as announced at the org’s Media & Entertainment Business Conclave South Connect 2025 in Chennai.

The two-day conference, inaugurated by Haasan alongside actor and producer Udhayanidhi Stalin, who now serves as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state of Tamil Nadu, arrives as South Indian entertainment continues to flex its muscle in the global marketplace.

Stalin used the platform to unveil ambitious plans for a sprawling 152-acre film city in Chennai, promising state-of-the-art facilities including virtual production technologies, VFX studios, LED walls and a five-star hotel. He also announced the revival of a dormant 2010 land lease initiative championed by former Chief Minister Karunanidhi, green-lighting construction of residential complexes for film industry professionals on a 90-acre plot near Kelambakkam.

Haasan called for regulatory frameworks that embrace rather than restrict emerging technologies,...

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Berlin Begins

Straight to a snowy Berlin, where Zac has this report…

Tilda’s the talk of the town: The Berlin Film Festival kicked off Thursday evening with a brief ceremony that, despite all its German sensibility, belonged to Scottish actor Tilda Swinton. The Oscar winner was in town to receive the festival’s achievement award, and she gave a rousing speech touching on global politics. “The inhumane is being perpetrated on our watch,” she bellowed from the stage, before taking a swipe at Donald Trump in her rebuke of “efforts of occupation, colonization, takeover, ownership or the development of Riviera property.” The growing dominance of streamers should “encourage them to spend a large chunk of their squillions on building renovating...

When Mumbai commercial powerhouse Reliance Industries and Disney India decided to team up and form India’s largest broadcasting, production and streaming business, it was clear the ambition was as big as the $8.5 billion price tag slapped on the deal.

Reliance, owned by India’s most wealthy man, Mukesh Ambali, had control of channels biz Viacom18 plus ultra-popular low-cost streamer JioCinema and its sports content for a cricket-mad nation, while The Walt Disney Company’s Indian assets included Disney+ Hotstar, the leading streaming service in the country after its 2021 launch, and the Star India networks. When the Sony and Zee Entertainment Enterprises merger collapsed under the weight of regulatory scrutiny, the pathway became even clearer for the new kid on the block to assert dominance.

With a content library totaling more than 30,000 hours and estimated annual revenues of more than $3.1B, the newly named JioStar was set to get going,...

In a landmark move that reshapes India’s streaming landscape, JioStar has unveiled JioHotstar, merging JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar. The unified platform, launching Feb. 14, boasts nearly 300,000 hours of content and claims a user base exceeding 500 million.

The move follows the events of 2024 when the Indian entertainment landscape witnessed a seismic shift with Reliance Industries and Disney completing their long-awaited media merger, giving birth to JioStar – a media powerhouse valued at $8.5 billion. The merger combined Disney’s Star India with Reliance’s Viacom18 and their respective platforms.

With the company structured under three distinct leaderships – Kiran Mani (CEO – Digital), Kevin Vaz (CEO – Broadcast Entertainment), and Sanjog Gupta (CEO – Sports) – JioStar operates with a shared vision of universalizing entertainment access. Mani, a seasoned digital strategist who previously led Google’s Android and Play Ecosystems in Asia-Pacific and Japan, is spearheading the company’s digital operations. Vaz, a veteran entertainment executive instrumental in...

Prehistoric Powerhouse

BBC Factual‘s landmark dinosaur series “Walking With Dinosaurs” roars back to life in a new reimagining, 25 years after its original stomp across television screens. The upcoming six-part series, slated for BBC One and iPlayer, promises to revolutionize natural history storytelling through cutting-edge visual effects and forensic science.

Series producer BBC Studios, alongside co-producers PBS, Zdf, and France Télévisions, will transport viewers into the prehistoric world by following individual dinosaurs whose remains are actively being discovered by leading paleontologists. Each episode, running 50 minutes, weaves paleontological discoveries with cinematic storytelling, bringing to life creatures like the feathered Albertosaurus, a deadly T. rex relative, and the distinctive Pachyrhinosaurus lakustai, sporting its characteristic “unicorn” horn.

The series is executive produced by Andrew Cohen and Helen Thomas, with Kirsty Wilson serving as showrunner. Jack Bootle, head of commissioning for specialist factual, greenlit the project for the BBC, with Bill Gardner consulting for PBS.

Ayushmann Khurrana has been announced as the brand ambassador for the Ficci Frames as the face of the media and entertainment industry of India. Ficci Frames, India’s premier global media, and entertainment convention, is gearing up to celebrate its 25th anniversary this year.

The theme for this special edition this year is “Rise: Redefining Innovation, Sustainability, and Excellence” which underscores the transformative impact of Ficci Frames in shaping narratives, fostering creativity, and driving the evolution of the Media & Entertainment industry.

As Ficci Frames has evolved into an essential platform for collaboration, Khurrana’s involvement as a brand ambassador brings to the front the importance of the event in uniting industry leaders and creative talents alike.

Held annually in Mumbai, the event brings together influential personalities, creative professionals, and policymakers from around the world to discuss emerging trends, innovative technologies, and key challenges in the entertainment landscape. The event includes...

The opening ceremony of the 55th International Film Festival of India (Iffi) in Goa on Wednesday crammed in several Bollywood-style performances. But it also took some time to deal with the business of cinema, as well.

The spectacle came from “The Perfect Couple” breakout star Ishaan Khatter dancing to a medley of Bollywood hits and Manushi Chhillar to hit film songs from India’s various creative industries. Sanya Malhotra and Sunny Kaushal enacted a musical tableau chronicling the journey of Indian cinema from 1913 to the present day, which included showstoppers “Naatu Naatu” from “Rrr” and “Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire.”

Australia is Iffi’s Country of Focus this year and there was a performance from Australian dancers as well.

On the business front, on the back of the India-Colombia audiovisual coproduction agreement that was signed in October, the first look at a film examining the role of guru and spiritual...

Reflecting positive streaming trends at other media conglomerates, Disney leadership said in a Q4 and full year earnings call that the direct to consumer business saw profitability improve at the end of fiscal 2024 as subscribers and the company’s overall financial metrics exceeded expectations.

The company’s streaming business showed improved profitability of $321m compared to a $387m loss a year ago, and revenues climbed 15% to $5.8bn.

Disney+ Core subscribers, excluding Disney+ Hotstar in India, increased by 4% and 4.4million over last quarter to reach 122.7m, of which 66.7m come from international markets and 56m from North America. Disney+ Core subscribers...

India’s entertainment landscape shifted Thursday as Reliance Industries and Disney completed their long-awaited media merger, creating an Indian powerhouse valued at $8.5 billion. The deal combines Disney’s Star India with Reliance’s Viacom18 and streaming platforms JioCinema and Hotstar.

Nita M. Ambani will chair the joint venture, with media veteran Uday Shankar serving as vice chair. The merger received regulatory approvals from multiple jurisdictions, including India’s Competition Commission.

Reliance pumped $1.4 billion in growth capital into the venture, which will control over 100 TV channels and produce 30,000+ hours of annual content. The combined entity reported revenue of approximately $3.1 billion for the fiscal year 2024.

The ownership structure breaks down to Reliance Industries holding 16.34%, Viacom18 with 46.82%, and Disney maintaining 36.84%. In a separate transaction, Reliance acquired Paramount Global’s 13.01% stake in Viacom18 for about $507 million.

The joint venture’s leadership team includes Kevin Vaz heading entertainment, Kiran Mani leading digital operations, and Sanjog Gupta overseeing sports.

Disney and Reliance Industries have completed the $8.5B deal to form a media and entertainment giant in India.

This brings together Reliance’s JioCinema business with Disney’s Star India, which houses Disney+ Hotstar, under one roof. No name has been set for the joint venture just yet, but it is now operational after approval from the the Hon’ble Nclt Mumbai, Competition Commission of India and other regulatory authorities.

The transaction is valued at ₹70,352 crore ($8.5B) on a post-money basis, excluding synergies. Reliance will effectively be in control of the venture, owning 16.34% directly and another 46.82% through Viacom18, which is consolidated earlier this year. Disney will have the remaining 36.84%. Industry giant Reliance is planning to pump ₹11,500 crore into the Jv.

Reliance’s Nita M. Ambani will be the Chair of the Jv, with Indian dealmaker and former Disney Indian boss Uday Shankar, who runs Bodhi Tree Systems with James Murdoch,...

The Apos conference in Bali ended yesterday after a series of talks from the biggest players in Asia, and the main theme to merge was a cry for collaboration in streaming.

The likes of Warner Bros Discovery, Prime Video, U-Next, Viu and Canal+ all talked up partnerships as a key route to engaging and attracting subscribers during their sessions at the luxurious Ayana Resort in Indonesia.

Gaurav Gandhi, Vice President, Asia Pacific & Mena for Prime Video, told delegates that the Apac region was one where Amazon is at “different stages,” meaning “strategies differ depending on where the journey is.”

In a session also including Yosuke Ishibashi, Head of Content for Prime Video Japan, Gandhi talked through Amazon’s path from being a goods provider to a content provider. He said that in Japan, it was “super important to think about partnership and collaboration.”

Among the six key “pillars” of Prime...

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s streamer JioCinema is making a play to become India’s top streaming service by introducing cheap premium tier plans.

From April 25, the service’s existing INR999 ($12) annual plan for international premium content is being replaced by a monthly plan of INR29 (35 cents) for a single device or INR89 ($1.05) monthly for a family plan that covers four devices. The new plans are branded JioCinema Premium and will be up to 4K streaming quality.

JioCinema’s sports content that includes the lucrative Indian Premier League (Ipl) cricket tournament will continue to be available for free as an AVOD service. In 2022, Ambani’s Viacom18, which owns JioCinema, had paid $3 billion for digital rights to the Ipl, outbidding then rival Disney, who paid a similar amount for only the broadcast TV rights. Viacom18 and Disney’s Star India are in the process of merging in an $8.5 billion deal.

Last month,...

The India heads of some of the world’s top media groups outlined their growth plans for the market at the Mumbai’s Ficci Frames media conference.

The conference is organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci). Kevin Vaz, chair, Ficci media and entertainment committee and CEO, broadcast entertainment, Viacom18, stressed the importance of sports in the Indian market at a panel on navigating the future of the media and entertainment industry. Streamer JioCinema is a subsidiary of Viacom18. The company won the rights for the immensely popular Indian Premier League cricket tournament in 2022 and streamed it free on JioCinema in 2023, winning millions of eyeballs from then rival Disney+ Hotstar in the process.

“Cricket is one of the biggest reach drivers in this country. It’s the only piece of content that works across the length and breadth of this country, and advertisers value this...

The Indian media and entertainment industry grew 8% in 2023 to reach a value of $27.9 billion, according to the annual Ey report released during the ongoing Frames conference in Mumbai, organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci). The growth was 21% above its pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

The report collates data from television, digital media, film, animation and VFX, out of home media, live events, music, radio, online gaming and print.

While television remained the single largest component of the M&e sector in 2023, with a valuation of $8.3 billion, it shrank 2% from 2022 levels, due to advertising declining by 6.5% thanks to a slowdown in spending by gaming and direct-to-consumer brands. The sector is forecast to rebound to $8.6 billion this year.

Digital media was the second largest component of the sector, valued at $7.8 billion in 2023 and growing to $9 billion in 2024.

Filmed entertainment is projected to grow from $2.3 billion in 2023 to $2.5 billion in 2024.

New media,...

A-list Bollywood actor Rani Mukerji and Turkish star Hande Ercel will be among the luminaries speaking at the Frames conference in Mumbai.

Organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci), the annual confab is one of the largest media and entertainment industry events in Asia. The theme of Frames 2024 is “Rrr: Reflections, Realities and Road Ahead.”

Participants this year also include Arjun Nohwar, senior VP and general manager, South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery; Sushant Sreeram, country director, Prime Video India; Monika Shergill, Vice President, Content, Netflix India; Danish Khan, executive VP and business head, SonyLIV and StudioNext at Sony Pictures Networks India; Sandhya Devanathan, VP and head, Meta India; and Irina Ghose, managing director, Microsoft India.

Also among the roster of speakers are Ajay Bijli, managing director of PVR Inox, South Asia’s largest multiplex chain; Emmy-winning producer Ektaa R. Kapoor; Akshaye Widhani, CEO of leading Indian studio Yashraj Films; S.

We have the first official trailer for Fighter, the Airborn drama starring a trio of India’s biggest names, Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor (Slumdog Millionaire), and Hrithik Roshan (Jodhaa Akbar).

The pic is directed by Siddharth Anand (Pathaan). The synopsis reads: Militant activities are going out of control in the Srinagar Valley, so a new and elite unit, Air Dragons, is commissioned by the Air Headquarters. They are now the first responders to any hostile activity. They comprise the best combat aviators handpicked from across the Iaf. Fighter is the story of Air Dragons who are willing to give it their all for the nation while going through the highs and lows of their internal and external battles.

Fighter comes from Viacom18 Studios in association with Marflix Pictures. Neeraj Goswamy of Viacom18 is handling sales and distribution. The producers are Mamta Anand, Ramon Chibb,...

Bear Grylls, known for thrilling, action- packed adventures along with his fierce survival skills, will feature in an exclusive and specially curated two hour block on National Geographic in India. With a promise to bring alive the adventurer in every fan, Sunday Thrills with Bear Grylls’ will feature the biggest, daring and most thrilling experiences of Bear Grylls.

This India special will include shows such as Running Wild with Bear Grylls, Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls, Mission Survive With Bear Grylls, and Britain’s Greatest Adventurers With Bear Grylls. The shows will take viewers on an awe-inspiring journey offering unlimited adventure, accompanied by stunning visuals and breath-taking cinematography, in true National Geographic style.

"Life has truly been challenging for so many people around the world this last year, but if the wild has taught me anything, it is the importance of resilience and a never give up spirit. With...

The successful talk show ‘Koffee with Karan’ entered its 4th season on Star World premiering in December, creating waves with the first episode featuring the ever-elusive Salman Khan. The popularity of that episode has not waned as the show continues to maintain the top position in its category for 11 straight weeks since its launch. In its premiere week itself it delivered 222 Tvt and it currently owns 58% viewership on the primetime slot of Sunday at 9pm.

With the first season hitting the small screen in 2004, Koffee with Karan has come to be known as the go-to destination for an insight into the lives of celebrities. With his witty repertoire and unbeatable charm Karan has managed to get the juiciest bits of gossip from the celebrities he invites onto his show. His dynamics with the biggies of Bollywood make it effortless for the director/producer to tease and joke with them about rumours,...

Pacific Rim | Monsters University | The Deep | Blancanieves | Trap For Cinderella | The Moo Man | We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks | Citadel | Cleopatra | Play | Les Invisibles | Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

Pacific Rim (12A)

(Guillermo del Toro, 2013, Us) Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi. 131 mins

You can boil this sci-fi spectacle down to Transformers vs Godzillas, but with Del Toro at the helm it's the thinking person's big, dumb blockbuster: an unironic, city-stomping smash-up mixing state-of-the-art effects with curiously antiquated action-movie dynamics. There's just enough human interest to sustain it, but this is all about giant machines, giant aliens and deafening destruction.

Monsters University (U)

(Dan Scanlon, 2013, Us) Billy Crystal, John Goodman. 110 mins

Animal House for pre-schoolers? The college setting is questionable and the originality scarce, making this an acceptable, colourful prequel rather than another Pixar triumph.

The Deep (12A)

(Baltasar Kormákur, 2012, Ice) Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Jóhann G Jóhannsson. 93 mins

Visceral but unsensational...

Ruben Östlund’s Play is yet another fine piece of contemporary cinema to hail from Scandinavia, as this Swedish production further promotes the current golden age of cinema we’re witnessing from this European region. In what is an innovative study of bullying and immigration, Play is harrowingly true to life, making for a feature that is extremely difficult to watch at the best of times.

Based on real events, we follow a trio of young teenagers who are pursued by a group of older, troublemaking youths who have taken to mugging innocent children in the streets for their mobile phones. Using a psychological role reversal technique whereby they make the victim the culprit, implying that they had stolen the phone in the first place from their brother, one member of the gang is intelligently deployed – in this case Kevin (Kevin Vaz) – to play mediator, pretending to be on the side of the prey.

New Delhi, Dec 11: There's good news for lovers of Bengali cinema. Star Jalsha is strengthening its bond with viewers by launching a new Bengali movie channel, called Jalsha Movies.

The channel will commence its journey with the world television premiere of Jeet-starrer blockbuster "Awara". The channel goes Dec 16.

"We are happy to launch Jalsha Movies with a promise of bringing the best of Bengali blockbusters to our audience. This channel is an extension of our commitment to constantly delight viewers by offering the best in entertainment," Kevin Vaz, president and general manager, Star Jalsha and president, Ad Sales at Star India Pvt..

Bill Skarsgård, Simon and the Oaks Best film Apflickorna / She Monkeys Producer: Helene Lindholm Play Producer: Erik Hemmendorff Simon och ekarna / Simon and the Oaks Producers: Christer Nilson, Per Holst Best Foreign Language Film Kynodontas / Dogtooth Director: Yorgos Lanthimos Jodaeiye Nader az Simin / A Separation Director: Asghar Farhadi Winter's Bone Director: Debra Granik Best Director Lisa Aschan for Apflickorna / She Monkeys Lisa Ohlin for Simon och ekarna / Simon and the Oaks Ruben Östlund for Play Best actress in a leading role Ann Petrén for her role as Jonna in Happy End Magdalena Poplawska for her role as Marta in Between 2 Fires Helen Sjöholm for her role as Karin Larsson in Simon och ekarna / Simon and the Oaks Best actor in a leading role Mikael Persbrandt for his role as Johan in Stockholm Östra / Stockholm East Sven-Bertil Taube for his role as George in En enkel till Antibes / A One-way to...