Indian anime fans have always dreamt of being able to catch their favorite anime on television, around the same time it airs in Japan. And according to Sujoy Roy Bardhan, Marketing Head at Sony YAY!, this dream could transition from a distant hope to reality.
In a recent interview with Animehunch, Sujoy indicated that simulcasting anime on Indian linear television channel (Sony YAY!) was a definite possibility in the future. However, he added that it hinged on the engagement and support from the nation’s rapidly growing anime fanbase.
The conversation around simulcasting emerged as Sony YAY! discussed its anime strategy, which included the recent launch of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2.
“To be honest it all depends on fans,” Sujoy stated. “Show us some love and we’ll love you back. So, you give us the popularity and make it a very big platform, and we’ll in turn give you.“
Sujoy added that the channel was committed to listen to the otakus in India and to cultivate and expand the anime fandom within the country.
Both Jujutsu Kaisen and Naruto are very popular titles in India. The success of these shows on Sony YAY! has highlighted that these shows continue to get consumed despite being available on multiple platforms in the country.
This audience preference, according to Sujoy, would play a very important role in deciding what acquisitions will be done by the channel in the future. Ultimately the shows which garner good response will pave the way for Sony YAY!’s future strategies.
“What is coming up next is something that will be a reflection on what has worked for us, one more than the other, which will help us understand what is the kind of genre that we should follow,” Sujoy said.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that Sony YAY! would simply continue to acquire popular titles. The channel was also considering the possibility of increasing the width of anime offerings to the audiences.
“People usually tend to categorize it into one category, but anime itself is very wide, has a very wide range of genres within itself. All of them we believe have a huge potential in India because it is very simply based on storylines that are very, very relevant in India as well,” Sujoy added.
The marketing head also touched upon Sony YAY!’s strong position in the anime domain, built on the success of their currently airing series Naruto and Jujutsu Kaisen.
While the specific logistical or technical frameworks for enabling simulcasting were not detailed in the interview, Sujoy and Sony YAY!’s message was clear: the pathway to achieving this coveted viewing experience for Indian fans will be paved by their collective passion and sustained support for anime content on television.
