Filmed entertainment notched a high of Rs 205 billion from over 1,900 releases, with theatrical earnings up 16% on elevated ticket prices, 37 films raked in Rs 100 crore or more. Live Events surge by 44%.
By Our Correspondent
India’s media and entertainment (M&E) industry posted a solid 9% year-on-year growth in 2025, scaling to Rs 2.78 trillion, led by digital media’s breakout performance and a boom in live experiences. The FICCI-EY report, Stories, scale and impact: Unlocking India’s media and entertainment economy, unveiled in Mumbai today, underscores how digital platforms, advertising and experiential events powered this surge despite regulatory pressures and rising costs in some areas.
Digital Media crosses Rs 1 trillion threshold
Digital media claimed the top spot as the industry’s largest segment in 2025, breaching Rs 1 trillion in revenues for the first time. Digital advertising leaped 26% to Rs 947 billion, grabbing nearly two-thirds of the overall Rs 1.5 trillion ad pie, which rose 13% and contributed 0.41% to India’s GDP,cwith e-commerce and point-of-sale ads spiking 50% to Rs 220 billion. Subscription income jumped 60% to Rs 163 billion, fueled by 216 million paid video users across 143 million households, as premium sports and films shifted behind paywalls; paid music subscriptions grew 37% to 14.4 million.
Cinema posts record revenues amid box office hits
Filmed entertainment notched a high of Rs 205 billion from over 1,900 releases, with theatrical earnings up 16% on elevated ticket prices, 37 films raked in Rs 100 crore or more.
Maharashtra Minister for IT & Cultural Affairs Ashish Shelar, speaking at the launch, remarked, “The FICCI–EY Media & Entertainment Report has, over the years, evolved into a definitive benchmark for the sector, guiding both industry and policymakers with credible insights and a forward-looking vision. Today, India’s media and entertainment industry stands at an impressive Rs 2.78 lakh crore in 2025, reflecting not just scale, but the sector’s growing strategic importance to the nation’s economy.” He added, “Mumbai continues to be the creative capital of India and the epicentre of our media and entertainment ecosystem. Our government is committed to building a future-ready ecosystem that seamlessly integrates creativity with cutting-edge technology, ensuring sustainable and globally competitive growth.”
Live Events surge 44% on experiential demand
Organised live events rocketed 44%, driven by ticketed concerts, weddings, government spectacles and religious gatherings, signaling a clear pivot to immersive consumption. Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising climbed 13%, with digital OOH now at 18% of revenues (up from 7% in 2023), while music revenues rose 10% despite flat 2% digital licensing growth.
Traditional media faces headwinds
Linear TV held sway with 745 million weekly viewers, but ad revenues slipped 10%, stabilising at Rs 362 billion when paired with Connected TVs (up to 40 million units from 30 million in 2024). Radio fell 7% to Rs 23 billion on softer ad rates; print ads edged up 2% in premium formats; animation/VFX grew a mere 2% amid Hollywood strike fallout; video games dropped 17% after the August 2025 money gaming ban, though in-app purchases rose 15%.
FICCI Media & Entertainment Committee Chairman Kevin Vaz observed, “2025 emerged as a defining year for India’s Media & Entertainment industry, marking a new phase of scale, innovation and transformation. The digital segment crossing the INR 1 trillion mark is a highly encouraging milestone, underscoring the sector’s strong growth momentum. As the industry evolves, measured regulatory forbearance, coupled with innovation, will be critical in sustaining long-term growth.”
Path ahead: 7% CAGR to Rs 3.3 trillion
The report projects the M&E sector hitting Rs 3.3 trillion by 2028 at over 7% CAGR, with digital and new media surpassing 50% of revenues, propelled by smartphone penetration, regional content surge and Connected TV adoption.
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