Creators Street, India’s flagship AVGC-XR showcase, concluded its 2025 edition at Indiajoy with resounding success, spotlighting the country’s creative surge across comics, animation, gaming, and emerging tech. Held at HITEX Hyderabad from 31 October to 02 November, the event marked a transformative leap from its inaugural edition (Comic Street, 2024) into a multi-domain celebration of creators, innovators, and storytellers.
ICA’s Expansive Showcase and Industry Presence
The Indian Comics Association (ICA) led a vibrant pavilion featuring six pioneering publishers: Chitragaatha, Cinemics, Cosmics, Flydreams, Alpha Comics, and Forbidden Verse. Their collective presence underscored ICA’s commitment to nurturing original IPs and multilingual storytelling formats—from Indian manga to mythological adaptations.
ICA also facilitated cross-sector networking, engaging with state-level AVGC-XR associations, notably the Madhya Pradesh AVGC-XR Network, which had a strong delegation presence. Strategic dialogues with ABAI (Association of Bangalore Animation Industry) and other regional bodies laid the groundwork for collaborative frameworks and creator mobility across states.
Spotlight: Ashwin Kumar’s Visit
A major highlight was the visit of Ashwin Kumar, director of the record-breaking animated epic Mahavatar Narsimha. With over ₹300 crore in global box office earnings, the film has redefined India’s animation potential. Ashwin’s interactions with ICA and other creators sparked conversations around building India’s own mythological cinematic universe, blending indigenous narratives with global production values.
Awards That Celebrate Visionaries
The Creators Street AVGC Awards 2025, held on November 2, honored excellence across comics, manga, animation, games, and influencer categories. The awards were presented across Platinum, Diamond, and Gold tiers, recognizing a diverse spectrum of creative brilliance:
- Best Comics
- Platinum: That Man Solomon: Born Again (Holy Cow Entertainment)
- Diamond: Ancient Temples of India (Amar Chitra Katha)
- Gold: Technicolour Lovers Reel 1 (Black Sheep)
- Best Comics Writer
- Platinum: Saahil S Sharma (Animo-City Issue 1, Alpha Comics)
- Diamond: Bijoy Raveendran (Technicolour Lovers Reel 1, Black Sheep)
- Gold: Saahil S Sharma (The War Cook, Alpha Comics)
- Best Comics Artist
- Platinum: Dildeep Singh (Kotwal, Alpha Comics)
- Diamond: Aswin Amarnath (REVA, Cinemics)
- Gold: Utsab Chatterjee (Technicolour Lovers Reel 1, Black Sheep)
- Best Comics Colorist
- Platinum: Athila Fabbio (Flavorville, Forbidden Verse)
- Diamond: Harendra Singh Saini (Avik Amaira The Paranormal Files: Nishi, Chitragaatha Comics)
- Gold: Sourav Naiya (Chandrakanta 1, Cinemics)
- Best Kids Comics
- Platinum: Billy – The Incremental Detective (Cinemics)
- Diamond: My Nani is an Alien (Alpha Comics)
- Gold: Tinkle Holiday Special 55 (Amar Chitra Katha)
- Best Manga Comics
- Platinum: Soul Contract Chapter 1 (Cosmics Entertainment)
- Diamond: Hanta Issue 1 (Alpha Comics)
- Gold: The World Beyond (Qissa Comics)
- Best Comics Cover
- Platinum: Avik Amaira The Paranormal Files: Nishi (Chitragaatha Comics)
- Diamond: Technicolour Lovers Reel 1 (Black Sheep)
- Gold: The Legend of Watakattu – Police Academy (Alpha Comics)
- Best Rising Talent in Comics
- Platinum: Anadi Abhilash (Chitragaatha Comics)
- Diamond: Mithilesh Gupta (FlyDreams Comics)
- Best Indie Creator Comics
- Platinum: The Eye of God – Twishampan Das
- Best Animation IP: The Year I Was Born – Keep Rolling Films
- Best AI Animation: Maha Ganesha – Thinksense
- Best Indian Gaming App: Gully Gangs: Street Cricket – 5th Ocean Studios
- Best Board Game: SQUARACE – Plus 91 Innovations Pvt Ltd
- Best 2D Animation/Anime Influencer
- Platinum: B Mohan Krishna (Anime Professor Telugu)
- Diamond: Arun Kumar (Naruto Reddy)
- Gold: Prem Chand (Telugu Senpai)
- Best Comics/Manga Influencer
- Platinum: Somya Mohan Sharma (The Drawing House)
- Diamond: Dr. Siddhartha Bose (Comics & You)
Building the Future of AVGC-XR
Creators Street 2025 wasn’t just a showcase—it was a strategic convergence of creators, technologists, policymakers, and educators. With immersive experiences, masterclasses, and government-industry mixers, the event reinforced Indiajoy’s role as a national catalyst for AVGC-XR growth.
ICA’s leadership continues to champion Create in India initiatives, including the upcoming Comics Creator Championship at Waves 2025, and remains committed to building sustainable IP ecosystems that connect Indian heritage with global formats.
