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The second and final day of IndiaJoy 2025 wrapped up at HICC, Hyderabad with a steady buzz of creativity and collaboration. Building on the energy of the opening day, the event continued to bring together professionals, creators, and enthusiasts from across the AVGC landscape.
With packed sessions across the VFX Summit, Cinematica Expo, AMD GameOn, Asifa India, Indian Film Market, and OTT Plus, the event showcased the full spectrum of India’s storytelling prowess from cutting-edge animation to immersive gaming experiences.
As the event came to a close, there was a clear sense of momentum and optimism. IndiaJoy 2025 highlighted the growing confidence of India’s creative industries and their expanding role on the global stage not just as service providers, but as storytellers and innovators in their own right.
VFX Summit
The second day of the VFX Summit at IndiaJoy 2025 continued to explore the intersection of technology and storytelling, with sessions that delved into the evolving role of artificial intelligence, production design, and visual effects in modern filmmaking.
In Cinematic Intelligence: Where Artificial Intelligence Meets Artistic Vision, Rotomaker founder and TVAGA general secretary Mike Yatham joined SideFX Houdini global marketing senior director Christopher Hebert, Assemblage Entertainment production technology head Pramod Patel, and Studio V-Sync founder and director Mehul Hirani. Moderated by Astra Studios founder R K Chand, the panel examined how AI is reshaping creative workflows, from procedural generation to real-time rendering.Framestore India MD Akhauri Sinha, led a captivating session titled How to Make Your Dragon, offering behind-the-scenes insights into creature creation and animation pipelines. ILM India AVFX supervisor Arnab Sanyal followed with a showcase of Jurassic World – Rebirth, highlighting the technical finesse and collaborative effort behind the franchise’s latest instalment.
Framestore London creative director and VFX supervisor Jonathan Fawkner presented Crafting the World of Wicked, offering a glimpse into the visual development of the upcoming fantasy musical and the challenges of blending stylised environments with photorealistic effects.
One of the most engaging panels of the day was Women Who Build Worlds: The Powerhouses Behind the Pixels, moderated by WIA educator and creative mentor Harshita Sharma. The session featured independent senior VFX producer Asmita Bharati, Yellow Design Studio production designer/art director Chandrika Gorrepati, EastFX Media Communication India creative head Nivedita Southekal, ILM studio production manager Nikita Sinha and Little Black Star Visual Effects (LBS) co-founder/business operations manager Meghana Tirumalasetty. The discussion celebrated the contributions of women in visual effects and production design, spotlighting their leadership and creative vision.
In Bringing the Maratha Legend to Life: VFX Behind Chhaava, Assemblage CEO Arjun Madhavan shared the studio’s approach to recreating historical settings and epic battle sequences, underscoring the importance of authenticity and scale in period storytelling.
Frames & Codes
The Frames & Codes track offered a multidisciplinary look at the legal, business, and cultural frameworks shaping the future of media and entertainment.
In Women in Media & Entertainment, Indian actress and film producer Lakshmi Manchu joined River Venture Studio founder and CEO Viveka Kalidasan, AHA content & strategy senior vice president Kavitha Jaubin and ANM Global equity partner and IPRMENT Law founder Anushree Rauta. Moderated by Asian Cinemas’ Jhanvi Narang, the panel explored leadership, representation, and the evolving role of women across the media landscape.
The IP Chain: From Idea to Avatar brought together Tinnitus group practice head (media & entertainment) Niharika Gaonkar Naikar, independent media & entertainment lawyer Poonam Nahar, Tinnitus managing partner Rafael Pereira and JP Legal Corp managing partner Persis Hodiawalla. The session, moderated by Producer Bazaar legal head Archana Kavil, unpacked the lifecycle of intellectual property in the digital age from concept development to licensing and monetisation.
In Storytelling in Transition: The Evolving Voice of Regional Cinema, Indian film director and screenwriter Tharun Murthy joined Producer Bazaar founder and CEO GK Tirunavujarasu to discuss how regional narratives are gaining prominence and redefining mainstream storytelling.
The panel Cracking Digital Piracy: Legal and Business Perspectives addressed the growing challenges of content protection and enforcement. Speakers included KRIA Law senior partner Jacob Kurian, Naik Naik & Co deputy managing partner Madhu Gadodia and Pocket FM assistant manager-legal Sounak Sarkar. The session was moderated by Nexus Consulting CEO and co-founder Venkatesh Srinivasan.
Closing the track was Streaming Wars & IP Battles: The Future of Content Ownership, moderated by Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF) founder and artistic director Anand Varadraj. The panel featured Sun NXT content head Suriyanarayanan; Haven Pictures director R K Kanan; Sripada Studios founder P V Phanti Srivatsa; and SVF Entertainment content head Siddharth Injeti. The discussion explored the shifting dynamics of content rights, platform strategies, and the implications of global streaming competition.
As IndiaJoy 2025 drew to a close, it left behind a sense of renewed purpose and creative momentum. Across two days of dialogue, discovery, and digital innovation, the event reaffirmed India’s growing stature in the global AVGC landscape not just as a contributor, but as a leader in storytelling, technology, and artistic vision.