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Business Standard
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
WAVES Comics Creator Championship Concludes with a Grand Finale: Heralding the Resurgence of Indian Comics
VMPL Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 20: After an exhilarating nine-month journey of imagination, storytelling, and artistic excellence, the WAVES Comics Creator Championship has officially concluded, marking a triumphant return of India's comic book culture to the national spotlight. Launched in August 2024 as a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) in partnership with the Indian Comics Association (ICA), the Championship formed a vital part of the WAVES Summit 2025 (World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit). It stands as the largest and most ambitious platform for comic creators in India in over seven decades. From over a thousand submissions across the country, 76 semi-finalists were selected to receive a special gift box on India's 76th Republic Day--a tribute to the creators who brought fresh narratives and unique perspectives to life. The journey culminated with the top 10 finalists showcasing their creations at the WAVES Summit in Mumbai (May 1-4, 2025). The event's pinnacle came as film legend Mithun Chakraborty graced the stage to award the Championship winners--honoring their exceptional talent, dedication, and vision. This momentous occasion further amplified the cultural significance of comics in contemporary India. The championship winners were: Professional Category The Guard - Bijoy Raveendran & Tadam Gyadu (Delhi) Worth Dying For!! - Puneet Shukla (Gorakhpur) & Piyush Kumar (Ranchi) The Last Devotee - Aparna Chaurasia (Chhatarpur) Amateur Category Ghosts of the Jungle - Rohit Shukla (Chennai) & Shivangi Shaily (Indore) Ashes of Divinity - Randeep Singh (Kendrapara) Kalkin: Pillar of the North - Suvojit Pal (Howrah) & Vivek Pradhan (Raipur) In a proud and emotional moment at Creatosphere, WAVES 2025, Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met with the finalists of the Comics Creator Championship and motivated the young creators to carry forward India's storytelling legacy with courage and creativity. A Stage for Ideas and Innovation The summit was not just about competition. It was a celebration of ideas and evolution in storytelling. One of the key highlights was the panel discussion, "From Print to Pixels: The New Era of Comic Storytelling, Distribution & Design," Featuring Industry leaders Ajitesh Sharma, Preeti Vyas, Sanjay Gupta, Nikhil Pran, Faisal Mohammad and Hamza Sayed, where industry veterans and new-age creators explored the future of Indian comics in the digital star-studded panel also launched a special comics on Indian Comics History by Cinemics - The Great Indian Comics Waves. Another landmark moment was the grand launch of "Super 10," unveiled by Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Honorable Minister of Information & Broadcasting, signifying the government's active role in fueling the future of India's comic industry. A Master class with a Mastermind One of the most inspiring moments at WAVES 2025 was the exclusive masterclass by Shri Anupam Sinha, the iconic creator of Super Commando Dhruva. Titled "Master the Art of Comics & Storytelling," the session offered participants deep insights into the creative process from one of India's most respected comic visionaries. A heartfelt thank you to Anupam Sir for sharing his time, wisdom, and passion. The session was truly unforgettable and left a lasting impact on every attendee - mentioned Anadi Abhilash, Secretary, Indian Comics Association. The Comics History Section at the Bharat Pavilion, a special curation tracing the evolution of Indian comics from the classics to contemporary innovations, was visited by none other than the Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He witnessed a century of Indian Comics, briefly met with ICA President Ajitesh Sharma, and added a monumental significance to the exhibit. A Resurgence Begins Other key ICA members -- Vasu Gupta (Marketing Head), Mithilesh Gupta (Content Head), and Mohammad Shahbaz (Event Head) -- were present on all days of the summit and contributed to the event's success. With Rs8 lakhs in prizes, national recognition, mentoring from industry greats, and a platform that bridges legacy and innovation, the WAVES Comics Creator Championship has set the stage for a powerful comeback of the Indian comics industry. As Ajitesh Sharma, President of ICA, stated: "This marks the beginning of a new golden age--an era defined by creativity, collaboration, and global visibility for Indian comics." The conclusion of this groundbreaking competition signals more than just the end of a contest--it marks the comeback of the Indian comics industry, poised to evolve, expand, and inspire a new generation of readers and creators alike.
Business Standard
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Diamond Toons Unveils Comic 2.0 - The New Age Comic, Little Chanakya and Delhi Darshan at WAVES 2025 in association with Delhi Tourism
VMPL New Delhi [India], May 6: Diamond Toons proudly launches Little Chanakya and Delhi Darshan, a travel adventure Comic specially conceptualized for WAVES 2025 (World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit) in association with Delhi Tourism. This comic aims to inspire children to connect with India's capital city and was launched by Delhi Tourism Minister Shri Kapil Mishra at WAVES Summit 2025, Mumbai. It will be followed by a new age, Talking Comic 2.0, with voice-over, motion, music, and visual effects, which will be released soon. Through a gamified comic treasure hunt, riddles, and clues, Little Chanakya, a 9-year-old sharp-witted, fearless strategist, and his curious friends lead readers to Delhi's historical landmarks, one after another--from the timeless Qutub Minar and Red Fort to contemporary marvels like Bharat Mandapam, Yashobhoomi, Asita Park, Baansera Park, and the new Parliament House. Diamond Toons' pioneering concept of Talking Comics -- a breakthrough format that fuses voice-over, motion, visual effects, and music to create a multi-sensory storytelling experience. Talking Comics are engaging, relatable, and visually striking, designed not just for entertainment but to drive behavioral change and foster social impact. Perfect for awareness and education campaigns, this format speaks to inquisitive young minds, appeals to all age groups, and is multi-language and platform-friendly, making it accessible and impactful across diverse audiences. Diamond Toons has successfully utilized the new-age Talking Comic 2.0 in major national projects -- including Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Chhattisgarh Tourism, Prime Minister's Yuva Yojana, Jal Jeewan Mission, Namami Gange, and Smart City initiatives -- demonstrating how compelling storytelling can raise awareness, encourage positive action, and strengthen community engagement. "With Little Chanakya and Delhi Darshan, we are not just telling a story -- we are redefining how stories are experienced," said Manish Verma, Director, Diamond Toons. "Specially conceptualized as Talking Comic 2.0 for WAVES 2025, this new age comic concept creates a whole new world -- where animation, voice, gamification, and immersive technology transform reading into a living, breathing adventure. We are proud to showcase how creativity in India can set new global benchmarks in storytelling and media innovation." Translated into Hindi and English, Little Chanakya and Delhi Darshan will be distributed across multiple platforms -- including print, digital, libraries, schools, merchandise, animation, gaming adaptations, and new immersive formats like AR/VR and metaverse experiences -- ensuring that Delhi's heritage reaches audiences everywhere. About Diamond Toons: Diamond Toons is the youngest and most dynamic division of the iconic Diamond Group of Publications, with a bold vision to revolutionize how India experiences comics. Rooted in tradition but driven by innovation, Diamond Toons create and publish fresh, contemporary content that entertains, educates, and inspires readers across generations. Diamond Toons is the publisher of legendary comic characters like Chacha Chaudhary, Sabu, Billoo, Pinki, Little Chanakya, Tinga Dojo, and Boxy, along with globally loved icons such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Chhota Bheem. Diamond Toons brings timeless characters to life, blending fun, learning, and laughter across generations.
India.com
06-05-2025
- Business
- India.com
Mukesh Ambani's another BIG investment of Rs 840000000000 in…,in next 3 years JioStar will…
Mukesh Ambani, India's richest man, alone is enough for Pakistan, his wealth is twice of Pakistan's annual budget, his net worth is.... Mukesh Ambani led JioStar has announced plans to invest over Rs 84,000 crore ($10 billion) in content creation over the next three years. This decision was announced by Vice Chairman Uday Shankar during his address at the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025. JioStar, a joint venture between Reliance Industries' Viacom18 and the Walt Disney India unit. The unit is focusing on its content for its growth. Shankar stated that the platform is delivering premium and diverse content to its audience. Speaking at a session at the first World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) here, he also said the industry needs to focus on 2-3 big drivers, including creating more content, which is tailored and customised to the Indian needs. 'In FY2024, the two companies spent Rs 25,000 crore on content alone. In FY2025, it went to Rs 30,000 crore and the number for the FY26 will be over Rs 32,000-33,000 crores,' Shankar said. 'So, in three years alone, we have spent more than USD 10 billion,' he said. He said the domestic screen entertainment or video entertainment industry is currently pegged at USD 30 billion while in the US its size is around USD 200 billion and in China USD 75 billion. Stating that the value, the space or rate at which the growth has taken place over the last 30 years, in the next 15 years also it will continue to grow but there are two or three big drivers that are needed to focus on. Besides creating more content which is customised, tailored for Indian needs, he said we have to take distribution even deeper. (With inputs from PTI)
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Indian film industry jittery over Trump's tariff move
New Delhi : India's $30-billion media and entertainment industry was in for an unpleasant surprise on Monday morning as US President Donald Trump announced a 100% tariff on movies produced outside of his country before their release in the US, asking authorities to begin the process of imposing tariffs immediately. The US film industry was 'dying a very fast death' due to the incentives that other countries offer American filmmakers, Trump posted on his account on Truth Social. Some Indian filmmakers took to social media to express their concern over the implementation of 100% tariff, saying it will impact box office revenues of Indian films released in the US if the ticket prices double and footfalls decline. Industry experts peg Indian films revenue from the US at between ₹800 crore and ₹1,000 crore in a year. 'Trump's 100% tariff on movies is a disastrous move. If this absurdity prevails, India's struggling film industry will collapse…,' filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri posted on X. In a Linkedin post, Vivek Lath, managing director at GoQuest Media Ventures, an independent distributor of entertainment content, said: 'This is not good. Came right after the single largest Media & Entertainment event in India.' He was referring to the recently concluded World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) held in Mumbai which aimed at promoting India as a global content hub. 'US accounts for roughly 5-7% of box office revenues for Indian movies. Already stressed US theatre owners will not be happy with this and if the rest of the world reciprocates, Hollywood will also lose a large share of its international revenues. Let's see how this plays out,' Lath added. Independent media and entertainment (M&E) industry consultant Shrirang Nargund said it was too early to comment on the impact of Trump's move on India's M&E. Besides, Indian films' exposure in the US market is very limited. 'Of the total 1,600-1,800 films we make in India in a year, a minuscule percentage is released in the US. And of those very few like Baahubali, Chhaava or RRR do well. So, I do not see any major impact on our film business,' Nargund said. Producer and film business expert Girish Johar said there was no clarity whether Trump's statement referred to film production or the exhibition business. 'My understanding is he was referring to 'production' of films outside as other countries offer incentives to shoot films. It may or may not affect ticket prices or the exhibition part of the business as that's an income for the cinema business. However, we should wait for the details,' Johar added. To be sure, the Indian government offers several incentives to foreign filmmakers, facilitating a streamlined, one-stop application process. Feature films, animation, web shows and commercial TV shows shot in India are eligible for incentives amounting to 30% of the Qualifying Production Expenditure (QPE) incurred in India, provided the IP is owned by an entity outside India. The total incentives, however, are capped at roughly US$3.5 million per project. During his address at WAVES in Mumbai on May 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited international investors and creators to embrace India as their content playground and explore the country's vast creative ecosystem. According to the Ficci-EY report of March 2025 on the M&E sector, India's animation, VFX and post-production segment contracted 9% in 2024, impacted by domestic uncertainty and global demand challenges. The segment is projected to recover and grow at 13% up until 2027, the report said. However, now a lot will depend on Trump's fine print on the M&E sector policy. letters@
New Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Australian university comes calling, likely to open Indian campus in Tamil Nadu
CHENNAI: The University of Western Australia (UWA), one of Australia's renowned institutions, is planning to establish a branch campus in Tamil Nadu — a decision poised to deepen educational and diplomatic ties between the two countries. The move follows high-level discussions held between UWA Chancellor Diane Smith-Gander and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin in Chennai on Monday. The campus proposal also includes Maharashtra, with both states identified as high-performing economies ripe for international academic partnerships. The decision to set up a branch campus in Maharashtra was recently announced at the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) held in Mumbai. 'Subject to University Grants Commission (UGC) and UWA Senate approval, the University of Western Australia intends to establish branch campuses in both Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, which are among the top-performing state economies in India,' said Smith-Gander. Once it materialises, UWA will become the first international university to set up its campus in TN UWA's Indian campuses are expected to offer a suite of UG and PG degrees, particularly in STEM, business, and creative fields, with the latter led by UWA's Conservatorium of Music. The initiative complements TN's 'Knowledge City' project, which aims to transform the state into a hub for global education and cutting-edge research. At the seventh Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India Smart Datacenters and Cloud Infrastructure Conclave 2025 here on Monday, IT Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan highlighted the state's discussions with international universities. Thiaga Rajan, who spearheaded the Knowledge City vision during his tenure as finance minister, described the recent dialogue with UWA officials as a 'significant step forward'.
