KOLKATA: The Indian animation and gaming industry in India is worth around $2,477 million with a growth rate of 35 per cent (2009-2013). West Bengal, which showed the least amount of growth some years ago with outsourcing as the main nature of work, is now attracting companies to set up their base here.

The industry has potential for growth, both in terms of size and moving up the value chain, reveals a report on animation, broadcasting and gaming by Deloitte.

Seeing good opportunities, players like Big Animation (an Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group company), Arena Animation, NiDT and the Zee Institute of Creative Arts (ZICA) have set their sights on Kolkata. 

According to NiDT director Chaitali Ghosh, the animation visual gaming sector, offering an opportunity never realized earlier, is now catching up in Kolkata.

An expert said creativity from West Bengal is overflowing and a trinity should be created among government, industry and academia for the growth of the industry in eastern region.

Webel DQE Animation Academy has placed more than 1100 students in various firms and is working on the animated version of Jungle Book apart from French and German movies. A production facility in Kolkata is also on the charts.

ZICA director Shrey Agarwal informs that the company’s in-house studio in New Alipore is in the pipeline. Additionally, Arena Animation director Ramesh Kumar Ruia says that they has started a graduation course on animation. 

Quoting Economic Survey 2014-15, an expert opined that Kolkata as a creative hub looked promising on the chart. “Seeing that digital advertising and gaming verticals are expected to drive growth on Indian media and entertainment industry in the next few years, West Bengal is likely to play a key role, firstly being a creative center of artists and secondly an important state in the eastern region. India is also emerging as the new favourite of international studios, with 100 per cent FDI permitted in the film sector,” he said.