Associate Director

Uday Shankar at FICCI FRAMES 2026: media must help build Brand India. September 29, 2026 After receiving a lifetime achievement award at FICCI FRAMES 2026, JioStar Vice Chairman Uday Shankar reflected on a career spent in media and the influence the industry continues to have on people's lives. Its formats may change, he said, but its ability to shape aspirations and offer hope remains. Shankar also called on the industry to tell India's stories more widely and help build "Brand India" through news, entertainment, cinema and sport. He also paid tribute to the people who had shaped his association with FICCI. Here is Uday Shankar's complete address. Honorable Mr. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, President FICC Anant Goenka, Director General Jyoti Vij, and other friends from the industry and all of you distinguished practitioners of media, thank you so much for this lifetime award. It's a humbling moment and I think it's also a not so subtle suggestion from Anant, Jyoti and Kevin that my time is over. And I think my time is over, the younger generation has taken over the industry, you're full of new ideas, innovation and challenges that you can deal with, probably some of us will be short on breath. However, I can't give you any guarantee that I'm stepping away, because there is nothing else I know. I just thought that I should leave the hint in the lifetime award. But media has been my life, you know, ever since I became an adult, media is the only thing that I have done. And if I continue to be a media practitioner today, it's not because I have the arrogance to think that I have the ability to contribute more than any of you. I also don't think that I am so important that I should be around. It's just that this is all I can do. This is all I have ever done. Media continues to be a fundamental pillar of society. It is the foundation on which society's imagination, its vision for the future, and individuals' aspirations for a better life, a better world and a better country are shaped: Uday Shankar. And I believe in the power of media. It was very heartening to hear Gajan Srinji's speech, where he talked about the role that media plays. And on today's day, as humbling as the moment is, I just want to leave you with two thoughts. First and foremost, it is no matter how many changes we have seen and come about, media continues to be a fundamental pillar of society. It is the foundation on which society's imagination, society's vision for the future, and individuals' aspirations for a better life, for a better world, for a better country, all of those are shaped. And I'm not just talking about news. News, of course, is very important, but all walks of media, whether it is entertainment, whether it is drama, whether it is cinema, whether it is sports, each one of these elements of media have an infinite ability to inspire people, people who have been left sidelined by the progress of the world. They can just imagine and they can create, and it gives them a sense of hope. And that is the role that it continues to play today. It has played in the past, and it will continue to play tomorrow. The forms in which these are expressed may have changed, but that role remains far more pivotal today than it ever was. And the only other thing that I would like to say to you is that while a lot remains to be done, our country has made tremendous progress. What we have achieved is incredible. And if we need the world to believe in India more than it does today, we still need to play a role in that. And again, not just news, but entertainment, sports, movies, we need to build Brand India. The countries that are known today, the institutions that are known today to be great are also known today to be great because they have invested very actively in sharing their experiences, in telling their stories and building the narrative around that. And I think as the country progresses to a greater future today, we can play a much bigger role in building Brand India. And that responsibility lies squarely with us. What we have achieved is incredible. If we want the world to believe in India more than it does today, we still have a role to play. And that goes beyond news: through entertainment, sports and movies, we need to build Brand India: Uday Shankar. And with these two thoughts, I'd just like to say once again that I'm humbled and I'm honored to receive this award from my community, which was handed to me by the Honorable Minister. As I exit, I can't but remember one or two people who have been part of my journey in FICCI. First and foremost, the two people who were responsible for introducing me to FICCI, Dr. Amit Mitra and Yashji, Yashraj Chopra, who really, really persuaded me to, you know, opened the doors of FICCI for me and persuaded me to play an active role, encouraged me. And I have benefited enormously from that. And ever since, all the colleagues, people like Jyoti and the entire secretariat of FICCI and the past presidents who have guided me and held my hand in this august organization. And then finally, the one person who will always be a very, very important part of FICCI and my life is Leena. She is not with us today, but FICCI frames would not be what it is without the indomitable energy and commitment of Leena. Once again, thank you very much. And I'm honored and humbled once again.

JioStar wins 20 honours for campaigns at ET DigiPlus Awards. New Delhi, 29 Sept-2026, By IBW Team JioStar has won 20 industry awards at the ET DigiPlus Awards for its campaigns across major sporting events, according to the company, which include 8 Gold, 9 Silver and 3 Bronze awards across categories such as AI-led innovation, digital strategy, mobile experiences, storytelling, social media and brand partnerships. Its partnership with OpenAI for ChatGPT x JioHotstar also won two awards for an innovation that allows Indian audiences to discover and engage with their favourite stories and sports through voice, across different languages, genres and moments. JioStar also received recognition for its partnership with Swiggy. The campaign introduced in-app food ordering within live cricket streams, allowing viewers to browse nearby restaurants, access match-day offers and place orders without leaving the stream. Kingfisher's 'Good Times Hangout', an entertainment-focused live commentary feed on JioHotstar, was named 'Digital Campaign of the Year'. The feed combines cricket analysis with comedy, pop-culture conversations and a casual group-style format. JioStar was also recognised for brand partnerships with Campa, Thums Up, Oreo, Fevicol, Rapido, Wonder Cement and Super Money. These campaigns received recognition across categories including brand awareness, storytelling, sponsorships and fintech. The recognition came from the ET DigiPlus Awards, which honour work in digital marketing across content, mobile, digital campaigns, AI and other emerging areas.

₹59,000-crore screen bet puts 'Value of Attention' to test at FICCI Frames. FICCI Frames 2026 opens in Mumbai on 29th as theatrical film investment is estimated to surge 30% to ₹15,000 crore in FY27. Updated - September 28, 2026 at 12:06 PM. It is the value of attention. Theatres want it for an event. Streaming platforms want to measure and retain it. Stars want a share of the upside it creates. Corporate investors want equity in businesses that capture it, with nearly ₹59,000 crore riding on winning that attention across India's broader screen-and-content economy in FY27. At FICCI Frames 2026, some of the industry's biggest names, from Reliance to JioStar to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and leading film studios and producers, will outline the next investment push across theatrical films, television, streaming and digital content. Theatrical film production and distribution alone is estimated to surge 30 per cent from ₹11,500 crore to ₹15,000 crore, more than three times the growth of the much larger television-and-digital pool, even as audiences move seamlessly across cinemas, streaming platforms, television, social media, languages and genres. THIS AD SUPPORTS OUR JOURNALISM. SUBSCRIBE FOR MINIMAL ADS.