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Tag: Content India Summit 2025

  • India’s entertainment giants plot $6 billion global gold rush by 2030 with fresh new strategy

    India’s entertainment giants plot $6 billion global gold rush by 2030 with fresh new strategy

    MUMBAI: India’s entertainment scene has never lacked drama, but now it is scripting a blockbuster for the world stage. Content India’s latest report, ‘The Future Of The Indian Entertainment Business In Partnership With The World’, published today, sets a racy new agenda: a potential $6 billion boost to the industry by 2030 if India plays its cards right.

    The findings, drawn from the one-day Content India Summit in Mumbai on 1 April and powered by data from Allied Global Marketing, outline how global partnerships, technology adoption, and a sharper content game could fuel India’s charge. The event, a DishTV and C21Media collaboration, has paved the way for a three-day Content India bash in March 2026.

    “It is clear that the Indian entertainment business is a force to be reckoned with on the global stage. But it has the opportunity to make an even bigger impact globally by partnering with international players on its own terms,” said DishTV CEO & ED Manoj Dobhal.

    Currently, India’s 551 million OTT users deliver just $2.1 billion in revenue. In contrast, South Korea’s entertainment exports dominate global charts. Without change, India’s OTT pie might touch $5 billion, or $9 billion with minor local fixes. But bold action could unlock a whopping $15 billion market, transforming India into a global soft power, argued Allied’s Jamie Crick at the summit.

    The report flagged gaping gaps. Comedy tops audience preference (30 per cent), yet only 10 per cent of premium content serves laughs, while drama, crime, and thrillers hog 60 per cent of new releases. Authentic, local content—preferred by 86 per cent of OTT viewers—is a must.

    Mobile may be India’s stereotype, but connected TVs are booming. YouTube’s connected TV usage quadrupled between 2022 and 2024. Ninety-two percent of online video minutes flow through YouTube, not premium OTT.

    The report pushed for lighter, family-friendly formats and deeper collaboration with creator ecosystems.

    On the global stage, India can draw lessons from South Korea’s Hallyu wave and Spain’s Money Heist effect. Local authenticity with universal themes wins hearts—domestically and internationally.

    New growth drivers include positioning India as the world’s most cost-effective production partner, leveraging its premium series costs ($1 million-2 million per episode) compared to US ($5 million-15 million). AI-powered efficiencies can further sweeten the deal.

    The Indian diaspora—35 million affluent consumers—remains an underplayed hand. Targeting them with broader genres, beyond nostalgia, offers a smart bridge to global glory.

    C21Media founder and the report’s editor David Jenkinson summed it up, “The world is changing fast… India can be at the heart of that. Of course, there are many challenges. But they are all addressable and the upside is significant for all.”

    The report stressed a tight checklist for future growth: urgent action, strategic alliances, tech savviness, emotionally rich storytelling, and strong institutional backing.

    “The future of Indian entertainment will not be gifted. It must be built”, it concluded.

    C21Media

     

  • Content India summit sets stage for global romp

    Content India summit sets stage for global romp

    MUMBAI: India’s entertainment moguls have their sights set on world domination—and they’re not being coy about it. The inaugural Content India Summit 2025 wrapped up two days ago with grand ambitions and plenty of showbiz swagger, positioning itself as the launching pad for Indian content’s international conquest.

    The summit, a partnership between DTH platform Dish TV India and C21 Media, brought together industry heavyweights to tackle the thorny question of how to make Indian entertainment as globally irresistible as its cuisine. Conversations probed everything from audience consumption patterns (binge-watching included) to the commercial scalability of Bollywood’s finest exports.

    Dish TV’s chief executive Manoj Dobhal didn’t mince words about the company’s ambitions: ” Our vision with Content India is to build a dynamic content eco-system that connects each and every constituent of Content creation in India with global opportunities. The Content India Summit 2025 marks the beginning of a transformative journey—one that fosters long-term collaborations, drives industry innovation, and expands market potential. With Indian storytelling gaining global acclaim, this is the moment to amplify international partnerships and position India as a content powerhouse.”

    C21Media’s managing director David Jenkinson chimed in with his own dose of enthusiasm, trumpeting India’s “undeniable influence” on the global content market. Said he: “Content India Summit is a crucial step toward shaping the future of Indian entertainment in a globally connected landscape. This event has brought together the brightest minds in the industry to address key challenges and unlock new opportunities for collaboration. India’s influence on the global content market is undeniable, and this summit lays the foundation for meaningful partnerships that will drive the industry forward.As we look ahead to the full Content India conference in 2026, our mission remains clear—to create a platform where ideas, talent, and business come together to define the next chapter of entertainment. This is just the beginning of an exciting journey for India on the world stage.”

    The gathering wasn’t all champagne and canapés, though. Sessions delved into India’s creative advantages—its talent pool, technical prowess, and budget-friendly production costs—while also wrestling with the delicate balance of preserving cultural authenticity while making content palatable for international viewers.

    Simon Mirren of Case Closed offered perhaps the most sobering advice: “Understanding the local culture is key to success in the Indian market. Many creators try to make TV for the West, which is a mistake. The focus should be on telling great stories that resonate here.”

    For those eagerly awaiting the industry’s new playbook, a report titled The Future of the Indian Entertainment Business Debate is set to drop within four weeks, promising to reveal how Bollywood and beyond plan to seduce global audiences.

    With streaming platforms hungry for fresh content and international viewers increasingly open to subtitles, India’s entertainment industry appears ready for its close-up—and Content India seems determined to direct the scene.