India’s media and entertainment (M&E) industry reached approximately $31.6 billion in 2025, with digital media emerging as the single largest segment. The overall sector continues to expand, driven by rapid digital advertising growth, streaming video platforms, and live experiences.
Television
The television category covers genres ranging from reality to comedy to horror to Bollywood (Indian movies). Walt Disney launched Disney Channel in India, now the top kids channel in the country. It initially aired only adaptations of American shows but now shows original content. Time Warner and Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. jointly launched WB Channel, featuring Warner Bros. television dramas and American movies. In a joint venture with Mumbai-based Network 18, Viacom established Viacom 18 in India. Viacom 18 launched Sonic Nickelodeon, airing children’s action shows, and MTV India, one of the country’s most popular music channels. Sony Entertainment Television is a channel owned by a subsidiary of Sony Pictures. In 2015, New York-based Turner Broadcasting launched Toonami, its third animated channel, in India. The company generated $80 million from advertising through this channel.
India’s Zee Network maintains one of the highest numbers of viewers, while Star TV (now part of the broader Disney Star network) remains a market leader offering monetary incentives to network companies for channel broadcasting and acquiring regional assets such as MAA Television Network. Balaji Telefilms, an Indian television and film company, signed deals with international networks like Pakistan’s Indus Media to produce series such as Brown Nation, while collaborating with Chhayabani Pvt. Ltd. in the distribution of contemporary television serials.
There is a strong viewership base for Video on Demand (VOD) and Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming, which crossed 601 million users in 2025. Shows are accessible within hours of telecasting. As a result, viewing is no longer limited to live television, and digital accessibility has significantly altered traditional distribution models.
Movies
India’s cinema category produces the most movies in the world annually, releasing over 1,900 films in 2025 and generating $2.4B+ in filmed entertainment revenues. Major production studios are located in the traditional film hubs of Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. Revenues in this category continue to expand due to ticket price adjustments, in-cinema advertising, and screen availability. Bollywood actively collaborates with Hollywood, with many Indian actors becoming global household names(including Priyanka Chopra Jonas).
Located in Hyderabad, Ramoji Film City is one of the world’s largest film studios with 40 indoor sets, 200 outdoor sets, and 7,500 workers. Reliance MediaWorks, subsidiary of Reliance Group, operates one of the largest cinema chains in India, Big Cinemas, with a screen count of 425. Reliance Group signed a deal with DreamWorks to collaborate on production and distribution in India. Hired and trained by DreamWorks, Indian animators in Bangalore contribute to DreamWorks projects. Fox Star Studios produces and distributes movies in India. It was created through a joint venture between 20th Century Fox and M&E company STAR India. Eros International PLC, a major Indian film company, produced 3 Idiots in collaboration with Vinod Chopra Films.
Significant consolidation and screen expansion continue across domestic multiplex operators. PVR Inox, Cinepolis India, and regional operators have continuously expanded multi-screen footprints across tier-1, tier-2, and tier-3 cities to meet rising theatrical demand.
Digital Media
India-based Prime Focus Ltd. is a large provider of digital media services. Prime Focus Technologies, a branch of Prime Focus Ltd., developed Media Enterprise Resource Planning which allows for simultaneous remote monitoring of several areas including the studio, the editing room, and the shooting room.
Mobile and Internet
Smartphone usage and high-speed data access have expanded rapidly, with internet-enabled mobile devices surpassing 750 million users as of 2025. India’s early mobile innovation ecosystem saw Zipdial Mobile Solutions Inc. improve data interaction to make mobile engagement cheaper and faster, leading to its acquisition by Twitter, Inc. Today, young consumers overwhelmingly stream video content on mobile devices, with brands from Samsung, Xiaomi, and Apple maintaining high market penetration across the country.
Video Games
Microsoft and Sony expanded into India’s video game category with the introduction of the Xbox One and Playstation 4, respectively. Located in western city of Pune, DSK Supinfogame Rubika is a joint venture between India’s DSK Group and France’s Supinfocom Group. This school trains game designers, programmers, and artists.
Magazines & Newspapers
The print category in India remains resilient compared to global trends, generating major advertising revenue through large daily publications. Dainik Jagran, a Hindi daily, is the largest circulating newspaper in the world. Times of India leads in English language circulation. Aaj Tak and the Hindustan Times are also prominent newspapers in India. The most popular movie magazine in India is Filmfare followed by gossip-filled Stardust.
Radio
Broadcasting networks continue to expand radio reach across FM channels, private networks, and digital audio platforms. Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati’s Akashvani (All India Radio) remains widely popular for nationwide coverage of music, news, and public affairs. Major private media groups, such as Jagran Prakashan Ltd. (which acquired Radio City 91.1 FM), operate extensive FM station networks generating revenue through localized retail advertising and integrated live events.
Last updated: August 4th, 2026
