From a niche subculture limited to late-night TV slots and websites, anime has fast transitioned into a mainstream medium of entertainment in India, with more stakeholders willing to invest in it amid cut-throat box office competition from Bollywood superhits and Hollywood spectacles.
At the heart of this shift is PVR INOX, India’s largest multiplex chain, which has been curating and marketing a plethora of anime releases to cater to a fast-growing and loyal fanbase.
“While Bollywood and Hollywood films continue to dominate the box office, India’s audience is becoming more diverse in its taste. Anime has seen a rapid rise in popularity, especially among young audiences,” Aamer Bijli, lead strategist for marketing and innovation at PVR INOX, told The Telegraph Online.
“By investing in anime, PVR INOX is responding to this growing demand, bringing fresh content to the big screen and offering viewers more variety alongside the films they already love,” Bijli, the son of PVR INOX managing director Ajay Bijli, added.
Mugen Train laid the groundwork for the anime craze
Anime faced a cultural and economical boom during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly after the release of Demon Slayer: Mugen Train in 2020.
“Mugen Train was one of the biggest international IPs (intellectual property) that we had collaborated with. After that, we released Suzume in India,” Bijli said, adding that these releases made them realise they had tapped into something much bigger than a niche in the entertainment sector.
A still from 'Demon Slayer: Mugen Train' Crunchyroll
“Anime has proven to be extremely consistent as a genre,” said Bijli. “And with merchandising opportunities and repeat viewership, it’s a very sustainable model.”
He also pointed out that anime has gained a foothold in tier-two cities as well. “In places like Ahmedabad, shows get sold out instantly. The demand is no longer limited to metros.”
The success of anime in recent times is due to a mix of first-time novelty and long-time nostalgia, Bijli explained. “Fans who grew up on Dragon Ball Z or Shinchan finally have a chance to experience these stories on the big screen. And newer audiences, thanks to OTT, are discovering anime and want to be part of the global conversation.”
Giving fans what they want
It took several trials and errors to finally build on the momentum for anime films in Indian theatres, Bijli said. One of the company’s biggest learnings was understanding the importance of fan engagement and giving them what they truly want.
Bijli recounted how fan clubs in Ahmedabad campaigned for the Makoto Shinkai film Suzume to be screened locally. “We weren’t fully aware of how much they were craving this content until we released it,” he said.
A poster of 'Suzume' IMDb
“It’s a two-way relationship — we listen to their buzz on social media, we watch what’s performing globally, and then we test the waters in India. If it works, we commit to the franchise.”
Before the box office success, a lot of betting comes into play. Sometimes that means releasing hit franchises like Demon Slayer, Detective Conan or My Hero Academia. Other times, it’s about taking risks with newer titles to see what would click with the audience.
“Cinema has no borders,” Bijli noted. “We believe great stories can come from anywhere.”
Can anime compete with Bollywood?
With the release of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, which is on its way to cross USD 500 million at the global box office, there is hope that anime has the potential to compete with live-action blockbusters.
A still from 'Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle', currently running in theatres Crunchyroll
The success of locally-created animated films like Mahavatar Narsimha proves that there is a growing demand for animation-driven storytelling in India, Bijli said.
Although Bijli accepted the potential of anime, he did not wish to pit it against Bollywood and Hollywood films as a direct competitor as yet.
“The key to success is content that resonates on a cultural level,” he said, citing the example of the upcoming Shinchan movie The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers, where the beloved mischief-loving boy himself comes to India in the film. “If we see more mythological or emotionally universal stories told through this medium, I don’t see why anime can’t compete with big-budget films in the coming years.”