By Sitaram Mewati — Mumbai
Positioning itself at the forefront of global intellectual property exchange, the French Institute in India launched the inaugural French IP Market in Mumbai, bringing together key stakeholders from across the creative industries. Held on March 14–15 at the Jio World Convention Centre, the event concluded on a strong note, emerging as a significant platform for fostering cross-border collaborations between France and Asia.
The market saw participation from over 70 buyers from India and Southeast Asia, alongside 14 leading French companies showcasing a diverse portfolio of intellectual properties spanning film, television, publishing and animation. Designed as a comprehensive marketplace, the initiative moved beyond traditional remake-driven formats to encourage discussions on adaptations, co-productions and licensing opportunities.
Major Indian production houses such as Dharma Productions, Excel Entertainment and Madras Talkies were among the participants, along with Southeast Asian studios including Visinema and Media Prima, reflecting strong regional interest in global storytelling and content exchange. The two-day event witnessed intensive business-to-business engagements, with hundreds of one-on-one meetings driving conversations around partnerships and content adaptation. Several projects reportedly entered early stages of negotiation.
Mathieu Bejot, Audiovisual Attaché, French Institute in India
A key highlight of the event was the panel discussion titled “The IP Playbook”, which explored the legal, creative and strategic aspects of adapting content across markets. Panelists including Siva Ananth, Gitika Aggarwal, Sriram Raghavan, Prashanth Potluri and Lorna Tee underscored the importance of cultural sensitivity, legal clarity and innovation in cross-border storytelling.
Mathieu Bejot, Regional Audiovisual Attaché, French Institute in India said “We are delighted with the success of the French IP Market. Our holistic approach enabled us to showcase books, films and series, creating a comprehensive platform for scripted storytelling. The response from participants led to serious discussions on adaptations and remakes”.
He added that support from event ambassadors helped expand the initiative’s outreach. “Support from our event ambassadors helped us connect with South Indian and Southeast Asian professionals, fostering a dynamic exchange. The conversations encouraged new collaborations and expanded the global reach of French IPs,” he said.
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