Event Coverage

Independent cinema with good scripts have future

Published

14 years ago

March 17, 2012

MUMBAI: There is a strong future for independent cinema in India that can focus on telling stories without first worrying about stars, music.

This was the general view of screenwriters from India and overseas at a session at the Ficci Frames convention here.

The screenwriters included an array from all over the world: Jose Rivera who was nominated for an Oscar for ‘The Motorcycle Diaries‘, Guillermo Arriaga who has also been nominated and has written films like ‘Babel‘ and ‘Amorres Perros‘, Shekhar Kapur who made ‘Elizabeth‘ and ‘Bandit Queen‘, Kasi Lemmons who has made African American films like ‘Eve‘s Bayou‘, Asif Kapadia who won a BAFTA award for his documentary ‘Senna‘ which was earlier screened at Frames, Michael Goldenberg who wrote the screenplay for ‘Harry Potter and The Order Of The Phoenix‘, and Audrey Wells who wrote ‘Under the Tuscan Sun‘ among other films.

The discussion came in the backdrop of the Sundance Institute tying up with Mumbai Mantra for a Screenwriter‘s lab initiative. The first one was held recently over five days. Similar labs will be held over the next three years. The aim is to give aspiring screenwriters a chance to show their ideas and screenplays to established global screenwriters. A total of 500 applications were received and eight aspiring screenwriters were chosen. They had one-on-one sessions with the global screenwriters and ideas were exchanged.

Lemmons noted that there was a lot of variety in the scripts that were selected.”There were personal stories about a personal vision whether funny or sad. In each country, the screenwriters‘ lab is a way to get in touch with the culture. The scripts I saw in India had both a gentleness and a passion of spirit.”

Arriaga said the scripts of the aspiring Indian screenwriters were very human. Humanity was on the surface and the screenplays revealed contradictions. There were different screenplays including a fable about handicapped people. Goldenberg felt that while the cultural specifics are different, there is universality in stories. He was struck by the generosity in spirit of the Indian writers and feels that their stories deserve to be told.

Rivera said looking at the talent available, the future for independent cinema in India is wonderful.”I did not know what to expect before coming to India. But I found that the quality was high and the range of obsessions was broad. Different themes were explored in the screenplays, such as migration, caste, religious intolerance. Unselfish themes emerged in the screenplays and I was impressed by the screenwriters‘ desire for a global voice.”

Wells felt that some of the scripts she had seen would travel abroad if made into films. The theme of pain does not belong to any one country. She called the stories, beautiful, advanced and unrestricted. Kapadia noted that partnership between Sundance and India which loves movies will allow screenwriters to just focus on the story without worrying about stars, music etc.”At the lab I heard intelligence and I heard from people who know how to tell stories. The lab will allow writers to feel confidence and be able to tell stories in any way.”

Kapur noted that the problem in India, Hollywood and even in China does not lie in lack of screenwriters. But people are not willing to listen. What is needed are less suits and more people who are wiling to listen. That is what the global screenwriters did at the lab. The issue is that people only look at empirical data. They ask screenwriters if they can produce something similar to the last hit film.”But when you listen then you understand the idea of storytelling and filmmaking.”

The global screenwriters were also asked about that what the starting point was for their scripts. Lemmons said she was an actress and the casting director had wanted her to tell a story. So she had narrated the story of an aunt and then asked herself who was responsible if a child was angry at a parent and something bad happened. This shaped the idea for ‘Eves Bayou‘ which existed on two levels – metaphysical and realistic. “If two people in a family remember an event in two different ways, where does the truth lie?”, she asked.

Ariagga‘s starting point was when he bought a dog at the age of nine. The dog was ugly but used to fight other dogs. His dog killed 100 dogs in fights. People loved to bet on his dog. He wanted to write a story about that dog and so ‘Amorres Perros‘ was born.

Goldenberg said Harry Potter was the most personal film he has worked on as he connected with the themes in the film like the struggle of adolescence, rage, fear etc. It was also the most independent experience he has had as there was no worry about whether the film would make money. He could just focus on the story.”We could focus on finding the best way to tell the story. It was a situation where the producers trusted the director”.

Rivera said an image and the question of ‘what if‘ is his starting point. Something arresting comes into his field of vision that he cannot let go of. He gave the example of a pregnant woman whom he saw on the side of the road when he was driving one day. It was raining but he did not stop his car. He wondered subsequently what could have happened if he had stopped.

Wells said when she first moved to Los Angeles, she did not have much money and did not know anybody. One day she went to a cliff on a beach and imagined that she was talking to an older version of herself. This notion became a film ‘The Kid‘ with Bruce Willis where Willis‘ character as an adult who converses with himself as a boy.”I exploit my own strangeness which serves as a fertile ground for my movies.”

Kapur said that he wants to own every character in a film. He wants to understand every character. ‘Bandit Queen‘ was about a situation that happened 200 miles from his village and he felt angry that he did not do anything. He examined his manhood and directed anger at himself. His aim is to bring characters to an emotional idea that he has experienced. According to him, if a film is good then the audience will be able to see their own story in the film. If a film is really good, then viewers will see a different story ten years down the line.

Kapadia said he had initially begun writing ‘Warrior‘ as a Japanese film but then changed the setting to Rajasthan. Earlier, he had tried to write a screenplay set in London about his own experiencs but nobody was interested. With ‘Senna‘ he did not want to do the normal interviews. He wanted it to be more visual.”You have to trust your gut and instinct”.

Wells touched on the issue of unspoken dialogue. Her fear is that directors will not shoot what is unsaid but which must be communicated. Lemmons agreed, saying that often what is happening around the dialogue is more important.”Screenplay goes beyond dialogue.”

The panel of screenwriters were also asked about their fears. Kapur said that fear is about doubts that come in one‘s mind. That is why writers do their best work when they are in a state of panic as the deadline draws nearer.”The screenwriters then propel themselves into a no doubt zone.” Rivera fears running out of time to do things he should be doing.”Writing is a relationship and it has never disappointed. I should fear that one day it will let me down but I don‘t.”

Lemmons said that fear exists in terms of starting to write a screenplay. Characters talk in her ear for a long time and she worries about how to get on the page. But once the process starts then things get better. Kapadia said that he has not written anything for a long time and has just been directing films. The lab made him think about going back to writing something. His fear is how he goes about doing things when he sits in front of a blank piece of paper. Wells noted that writing is not easy. If it was easy then more people would be doing it. It is about shutting off the phone and going to a lonely place.

Related Topics:Goldenberg independent cinema Mumbai Mantra

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Event Coverage

Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

January 28, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

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.

*Glimpses of Anime India Mumbai edition*

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.

Event Coverage

Transcend Goa Day 2 closes with a vision for cross‑border storytelling and shared narratives

Published

4 weeks ago

January 16, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

Day two of Transcend Goa 2026 built on the momentum of the opening day and offered a deeper dive into the possibilities of transmedia storytelling and IP creation. Through a mix of panel discussions, and visionary presentations, the second day highlighted both the challenges and opportunities of building story worlds that thrived across platforms, leaving participants inspired by the breadth of ideas and collaborations that were showcased.

The second day began with the session Transmedia History of Japan Manga/Anime/Game IPs in the Partnership of East Asia. The session explored the evolution of Japanese manga, anime, and game IPs as transmedia ecosystems, shaped through long‑standing collaborations across East Asia. The speaker for the session was RE Entertainment CEO & president Atsuo Nakayama.

L to R: Ankur Pathak, Dhruv Jagasia, Tarana eddy and Caleb Franklin

The session ahead was titled A World Where Narratives are Currency. It explored how powerful narratives function as both creative and commercial currency, shaping brands, fandoms, and franchises in the global media landscape. Speakers included Big Bad Wolf founder Dhruv Jagasia, Matter Entertainment founder & CEO Caleb Franklin, Storiculture transmedia producer Tarana Reddy, with the discussion moderated by writer Ankur Pathak.

The next session post‑lunch was Building Mugafi into a Transmedia Giant. It took a deep dive into transforming Mugafi into a scalable, story‑driven ecosystem. The discussion explored how IP development, technology, and creator communities converge to build a transmedia platform that nurtures talent, expands narratives, and unlocks global opportunities. The speaker for this session was Mugafi founder Vipul Agrawal.

The session titled From Collectibles to Culture – Toys, Merchandising & Global Transmedia Value Chains focused on merchandising and consumer products. It examined how toys, collectibles, and licensing strategies can expand a story’s reach and create sustainable value chains across film, television, gaming, and more. Speakers included Weta head of consumer products Kim Faiga and Weta consumer products sales manager Jack Oolders, with the discussion moderated by Bulletproof Entertainment founder Harish Rao.

L to R: Sunder Aaron, Charuvi Agrawal, Manvendra Shukla and Milind Shinde

The last session for the day was titled The Next Wave of Global IP – Connecting India, Asia & the West. It spotlighted emerging intellectual properties that bridge continents and cultures, highlighting collaborative projects linking creators in India, Asia, and the West. By showcasing case studies on scaling IP across borders, the discussion underscored how co‑productions and shared narratives can reach audiences worldwide. Speakers included 88 Pictures founder & CEO Milind Shinde, CDL TV CEO Charuvi Agrawal, writer Binky Mendez, and Lakshya Digital CEO Manvendra Shukul, with the discussion moderated by Locomotive Global founder Sunder Aaron.

Transcend Goa 2026, concluded with closing remarks from Rao and representatives of the government of Goa, followed by a networking evening. The sessions across the event captured the spirit of collaboration and innovation, showcasing how transmedia storytelling and IP creation can transcend borders, formats, and industries. As the event drew to a close, participants left with renewed inspiration, strengthened connections, and a shared vision for the future of global media and entertainment.

Event Coverage

Transcend Goa 2026 Day 1 showcases India’s journey in storytelling, IP creation and transmedia content

Published

4 weeks ago

January 16, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

Day One of Transcend Goa 2026 marked a significant step for India’s creative industries, as the inaugural transmedia conclave unfolded at the Marquinez Palace in Panjim on 15 January. The summit brought together leading voices from cinema, publishing, gaming, animation and emerging technologies to discuss how stories can move fluidly across formats and reach audiences in new ways.

Conceived as a platform to showcase India’s growing strength in original IP and cross‑media innovation, the conclave set out to highlight the country’s transition from service‑driven work to globally recognised creative leadership. With the support of the Government of Goa, the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) and Goa Future Proof curated the event to spark dialogue on the future of storytelling and its impact on culture and commerce.

L to R: Sanjay Ram, Shobha Sant, Veerendra Patil, Monisha Advani and Vijay Koshy

The day opened with an address by a Government of Goa representative and ESG chief executive officer Asvin Chandru. He said, “Goa has been envisioned as a future facing space where cinema, publishing, gaming, technology and artificial intelligence converge, reflecting the state’s ambition to emerge as a hub for creative, innovation and cultural exchange. Over the next two days, we hope this conclave inspires meaningful dialog, learning and collaboration across disciplines.”

Next, government of Goa chief secretary and planning secretary V Candavelou took the stage, setting the tone for the discussions ahead. He noted, “You all know that transmedia storytelling has undergone a transformational change. With the evolving of new technologies, this storytelling keeps on changing. The Transcend Goa summit is making this platform available to all the stakeholders to exhibit their talents. I hope that these two days spark meaningful conversation and ideas for the future.”

The event was graced by Goa’s chief minister Dr Pramod Sawant. “Transcend Goa is a simple idea to create a space where the culture meets technology, creates a space where the creativity connects with opportunity,” he said taking the stage. “The summit is also a pilot. It allows us to learn and understand how Goa can position itself as a large, creative and digital economy. Even small steps matter when we move in the right direction. If this discussion is of value to the creators’ businesses and the students, then these efforts will serve its purpose.”

He further said, “Goa always attracted the artist and thinkers. Today, it also has the students who code, design, animate, write and build the digital products. This summit gives them the exposure. This platform can open new doors and sparks new ideas. The government of Goa has extended support to Transcend Goa because we believe in the enabling of this platform. The Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) has been entrusted and with the responsibility because it understands the culture landscape and has the capacity to execute such initiatives. We see the summit as a part of the larger efforts, our efforts to strengthen the Goa’s creative economy.”

The keynote was delivered by Creativeland Group chairman Sajan Raj Kurup, who underscored the importance of building narratives and transmedia content that resonate across platforms and markets.

The day opened with the session Beyond the Screen: Creating Stories that Travel, which examined how narratives moved across film, television, games, social media and immersive experiences. It considered strategies for designing stories that adapted and engaged audiences across formats. Speakers included Emmay Entertainment producer partner and CEO Monisha Advani, Zebu Animation co‑founder and creative director Veerendra Patil, TVF president Vijay Koshy and Creativeland Studios CEO Shobha Sant, with the discussion moderated by Mediasmiths founder Sanjay Ram.

The session The Evolution of India’s Media Ecosystem: Transitioning from Outsourcing to Transmedia IP Creation examined how India’s media sector moved from providing back‑end services to developing original intellectual property that attracted global investment. Speakers included Punnaryug Artvision founder Ashish Kulkarni, Brhat founder Raghav Krishna, with the discussion moderated by Bulletproof Entertainment founder Harish Rao.

Post lunch, the session India’s Original IP Powerhouse: The Raj/Alpha Comics Story presented a case study on how publishers such as Raj Comics and Alpha Comics developed Indian superhero stories into transmedia properties. Speakers included Raj Comics founder Sanjay Gupta, Raj Comics and Alpha Comics founder Vasu Gupta, with the discussion moderated by Animation Xpress India director Mishaal Wanvari.

The session The Art of Creating Multiplatform Narratives explored the craft of building cohesive story worlds that unfolded across film, television, games, social media and other formats. It considered approaches to creative planning, audience engagement and maintaining narrative consistency while using the strengths of each medium. Speakers included filmmaker Raja Krishna Menon, filmmaker Reema Maya and filmmaker Q, with the discussion moderated by Mediasmiths founder Ram.

Harish Rao (left) felicitating Vignesh Raja

The session AR Rahman’s Secret Mountain: Building a Transmedia Music Universe introduced the composer’s latest project, Secret Mountain. It highlighted India’s first Meta Band and explored its potential across music, digital platforms and immersive experiences. The presenter for this session was Secret Mountain cofounder Vignesh Raja.

The last session of the day, Animating Success: Green Gold Entertainment’s Journey, highlighted Green Gold Entertainment founder Rajiv Chilaka and his team’s work in building one of India’s leading original animation studios. It traced how Green Gold Entertainment created hit franchises such as Chhota Bheem, developed a merchandise and licensing strategy, and showed that Indian stories could find global resonance. The session featured Chilaka in conversation with Bulletproof Entertainment founder Harish Rao.

The day concluded with a lively networking evening, leaving participants energised and looking forward to the sessions on the second day.