Arena Animation Hosts Perspectives 2026 in Mumbai to Highlight AI and AVGC-XR Career Opportunities
Arena Animation, a training brand of Aptech Limited specializing in animation, gaming, visual effects, and digital media education, recently concluded the Mumbai edition of its flagship annual industry engagement platform, Perspectives 2026. Marking 30 years of creative excellence, the event brought together more than 1,000 students, industry professionals, creative leaders, and personalities from the media and entertainment ecosystem.
The theme of this year's edition focused on connecting the next generation of creative professionals with real-world industry perspectives, emerging artificial intelligence (AI) powered creative workflows, new technologies, and career opportunities within the rapidly evolving AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality) sector.
Industry Leaders and Celebrities Share Insights
The day-long event featured several prominent personalities, including acclaimed actor and television personality Dr. Amit Behl, and actor, dancer, and performer Shantanu Maheshwari. Actor Aditya Deshmukh, a known face in Marathi and Hindi entertainment, also attended alongside Vaibhav More, Director, Designer & Animator, who delivered a special session on AI in Animation & VFX.
Other key speakers included Vineeth S, Country Manager – Media & Entertainment at Ark Infosolutions; Sandip Weling, Whole-time Director & Chief Business Officer, Global Retail Business, Aptech Limited; and Shajan Samuel, Sr. Vice President & National Sales Head- (Arena Animation), Aptech Limited.
The event blended industry learning with immersive student experiences, featuring keynote sessions, AI demonstrations, celebrity interactions, and talent showcases. Students gained first-hand insights into the evolving creative economy, the growing influence of AI in content creation, emerging industry skill requirements, and career opportunities across animation, VFX, gaming, digital design, and filmmaking.
Collaborations and Student Showcases
The Media & Entertainment Skills Council (MESC) collaborated as the Industry Partner, while Huion served as the Technology Partner for Perspectives 2026. These partnerships aim to strengthen industry-academia linkages, enhance experiential learning, and ensure students gain exposure to evolving technologies and industry standards shaping India's AVGC-XR ecosystem.
Beyond industry interactions, Perspectives 2026 featured a student festival that included Arena’s Got Talent, a Cosplay Ramp Walk, interactive engagement activities, AI showcases, and the Khau Gully Food Zone. These activities provided students with multiple platforms to showcase their creativity and self-expression.
The event also highlighted Arena Animation's strategic focus on integrating emerging technologies into learning and encouraging original intellectual property creation through initiatives such as Arena Animation Originals.
Commitment to Future-Ready Skills
Sandip Weling of Aptech Limited noted that the creative economy is witnessing rapid transformation with AI, immersive technologies, and digital storytelling redefining how content is created. He stated that the event aimed to let students experience these changes first-hand by learning directly from industry leaders, technology experts, and creative professionals.
Dr. Amit Behl commented on the opportunities available for young people willing to learn and adapt, praising the enthusiasm and curiosity displayed by the students. Shantanu Maheshwari added that discipline, continuous learning, and resilience are essential to transforming creative dreams into careers, noting that the passion displayed by the students was inspiring.
As India's AVGC-XR sector continues to grow, Arena Animation is working to strengthen its academic ecosystem by integrating AI-enabled workflows, industry collaborations, and experiential learning into its curriculum.
