Ms. Resham Talwar, a visually challenged voice artist, made headlines after winning the Voice Acting category at the WAVES Anime & Manga Contest (WAM!) held in Delhi. Her journey, marked by expertise in radio jockeying, voice-overs, and audio editing, exemplifies how WAM! transforms raw potential into recognised industry talent. Organised by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in collaboration with the Media & Entertainment Association of India (MEAI), WAM! is part of a national initiative encouraging Indian creators to explore anime and manga, with contests held across 11 cities leading up to a grand finale at the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 in Mumbai.
WAVES 2025, held at Jio World Centre from 1st to 4th May, aims to elevate India’s media and entertainment sector into a global Rs. 4,29,400 crore (US$ 50 billion) industry by 2029. A flagship segment of WAVES, the Create in India Challenges (CIC), has already attracted over 77,000 entries from 35 countries. Among them, 725 top creators, including WAM! participants, will showcase their work at the summit. India currently holds the second-largest anime fan base globally, with 180 million enthusiasts. The domestic anime market, valued at Rs. 14,105 crore (US$ 1.64 billion) in 2023, is projected to reach Rs. 43,249 crore (US$ 5.03 billion) by 2032. Despite rising demand, a significant talent gap remains—a void WAM! Seeks to fill through mentoring and industry exposure. With support from key industry players like BOB Pictures, ToonSutra, eTV Bal Bharat, and Vaibhavi Studio, WAM! is emerging as a career-launching platform for artists like Ms. Angel Yadav and Mr. Randeep Singh, democratising creativity and reshaping India's storytelling landscape.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
