Japan’s Sony Group Corporation is betting big on India, especially with an impending merger of its India unit with Zee Entertainment, amongst other segments of the company’s business to create kandos or emotions.

N.P. Singh, MD and CEO of Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) underlined the expansion of the Sony Group’s businesses in India in the media and entertainment segments and highlighted growth opportunities during Sony’s Group’s Corporate Strategy Meeting 2023 yesterday in Tokyo.

Last fiscal year, sales and operating income of the three entertainment businesses of the Sony Group — Music, Pictures and Game and Network Services— which were developed in the 20th century, exceeded 50 percent of the consolidated Group.

According to a statement put out yesterday by the Sony Group from Tokyo, the strategy meeting participants were updated on the India market.

In India, Sony is engaged in initiatives to create new value, such as local kando (Japanese for emotions) creation and delivery through Sony LIV, SPNI’s direct-to-consumer service or the OTT platform, and joint ventures between the Music and Pictures businesses to provide opportunities for local artists and creators. 

In addition to this, through the expected merger of SPNI and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., Sony aims to further expand creations rooted in local culture, the statement said.

Singh, in his presentation, said at the strategy meeting, “Our focus in India is to strengthen industry leadership by producing emotionally engaging content that expands our viewership across platforms.” 

He went on to add that Sony Research India was actively collaborating with Sony Pictures Releasing India to develop AI models, such as video analytics, recommendation engines and speech recognition.

SPNI has made significant investments in sports, including key cricket properties, UEFA tournaments, World Wrestling Entertainment and Grand Slam tennis, to name a few.

“We are committed to visual storytelling creation that inspires social change and unites communities,” Singh said, adding, “Our SET India YouTube channel, with 156 million global subscribers, is the world’s third-most subscribed.”

On the merger with Zee, Singh said, “In 2021, we announced the signing of a deal to merge ZEE into SPNI, which upon closing will enable us to expand our Kando content creation and strengthen our connection with diverse communities within India.”

The closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and awaits few more clearances from Indian authorities. 

Listing out some future endeavours in India, Singh, who has spent over two decades at SPNI, said, “We are also working with Sony Music India. In 2022, Sony Music and Sony Pictures established Sony Entertainment Talent Ventures India to offer Indian artists and creators the chance to collaborate and form global partnerships.”

He also dwelt on the rapidly expanding Indian gaming market that presents an exciting opportunity for Sony to extend its console, PC games, mobile games and esports presence. 

“The India Hero Project, initiated by Sony Interactive Entertainment, also supports local game development talent. We are eager to explore potential collaborations within the gaming industry,” Singh observed. 

Pointing out that India was a global economic powerhouse and an “opportunity destination” for artists, content creators, game developers, studios, platforms, and technology companies, Singh concluded, “Our efforts in India are aligned with Sony’s Purpose of ‘filling the world with emotion’, and we strive to push the boundaries and go beyond what is expected.”

Meanwhile, the Sony Group statement pointed out that Chairman and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida spoke on the company’s management direction, while President, COO and CFO Hiroki Totoki focused on the growth strategies of each business. 

Yoshida first looked back at the expansion of Sony’s business from a long-term perspective from its founding, through to recent initiatives to reorganize the Sony Group’s architecture, strengthen creativity, and expand the kando space, based on Sony’s purpose (or reason for being) to “fill the world with emotion (or kando) through the power of creativity and technology.” 

Yoshida also emphasized Sony’s commitment to creativity, and stated that Sony will continue to create kando with creators and contribute to expanding it to the world. As an example of this, Totoki then provided an overarching view of growth strategies for each of Sony’s businesses from the perspective of group management.

He further explained that Sony aims to achieve further growth and enhance its long-term value, by continuing to evolve the diversity of its people and businesses, and connect them organically.