WAVES Anime and Manga (WAM) contest
| Photo Credit: https://meai.in/wam
The WAVES Anime and Manga (WAM) contest, being organised by the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry in collaboration with the Media and Entertainment Association of India, is organising State-level competitions across 11 cities. The contest will culminate in a national finale at the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 in Mumbai in May.
Among the contestants selected for the final round is visually challenged artist Resham Talwar. “…she knew that her voice carried more than just words — it carried emotion, expression, and the ability to bring characters to life. She didn’t let her disability define her. Instead, she carved a space for herself in the highly competitive world of voice acting,” an official said.
“Winning the Voice Acting category at the contest in Delhi elevated her journey, proving her artistry could break through any barrier. Resham’s expertise in radio jockeying, voice-overs, and audio editing had already proven her capabilities, but WAM put her on a bigger stage. Her talent resonated with industry leaders, opening doors that had remained closed for far too long,” the official said.
According to the I&B Ministry, the WAM encourages artists to develop localised adaptations of popular Japanese styles, catering to both Indian and global audiences with opportunities for publishing, distribution, and industry exposure that foster artistic expression and nurture emerging talent.
“WAVES aims to position India as a global powerhouse in media and entertainment, drawing inspiration from iconic gatherings like Davos and Cannes. It’s a first-of-its-kind summit, uniting films, OTT platforms, gaming, comics, digital media, AI, and the burgeoning AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality) sector under one roof,” said the official.
Angel Yadav stunned the judges in the manga (student category) at WAM Varanasi. “Her artwork impressed Vaibhavi Studio in Kolkata so much that they offered her a job, showing that even young people can make a big impact in this field. Another success is Randeep Singh, a professional manga artist from Bhubaneswar. He is already getting paid projects from Vaibhavi Studio,” the official said.
Srikkanth Konatham, Director of BOB Pictures, has pledged to attend every future WAM event, eager to scout talent. Navin Miranda of ToonSutra is offering distribution deals in the webtoon space to winners, while Rajeswari Roy from eTV Bal Bharat is providing pitching opportunities in anime. Nilesh Patel, founder of central India’s largest animation studio, has promised placements for winners and internships for finalists.
There are an estimated 180 million anime fans in the country, making India the second-biggest anime market in the world, just behind China. “The anime market in India was worth $1,642.5 million in 2023, and it’s set to grow to $5,036 million by 2032. Platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Crunchyroll, and Disney+Hotstar have made it simple for people to watch anime through the use of subtitles. Manga too is gaining popularity, but despite this boom, India faces a critical shortage of skilled talent in the sector, a gap that WAM is aimed at bridging,” the official said.
“With India’s media and entertainment industry poised for massive growth, targeting a $50 billion market by 2029, WAVES is set to be the catalyst that propels the nation to the forefront of global storytelling…the first season of Create in India Challenges, a series of competitions designed to identify and nurture talent across diverse creative fields, has already attracted over 77,000 entries, including over 500 participants from 35 countries,” the official said.
Published – April 05, 2025 10:07 pm IST