Shantanu Maheshwari inspires young creators at Arena Animation’s Perspectives 2026 in Mumbai

Arena Animation, a pioneer in animation, gaming, visual effects, and digital media education and a training brand of Aptech Limited, successfully concluded the Mumbai edition of Perspectives 2026, its flagship annual industry engagement platform, bringing together over 1000 students, industry professionals, creative leaders and renowned personalities from the Media & Entertainment ecosystem.

Celebrating 30 years of creative excellence, this year's edition was built around the theme of inspiring the next generation of creative professionals by connecting them with real-world industry perspectives, emerging artificial intelligence (AI) powered creative workflows, emerging technologies and career opportunities within the rapidly evolving AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality) sector.

The event featured distinguished personalities including Dr. Amit Behl, acclaimed actor and television personality, Mr. Shantanu Maheshwari, a versatile actor, dancer and performer, Actor Aditya Deshmukh, a popular face across Marathi and Hindi entertainment, Mr. Vaibhav More, Director, Designer & Animator who delivered a special session on AI in Animation & VFX, Mr. Vineeth S, Country Manager – Media & Entertainment, Ark Infosolutions, along with Mr. Sandip Weling, Whole-time Director & Chief Business Officer, Global Retail Business, Aptech Limited and Mr. Shajan Samuel, Sr. Vice President & National Sales Head- (Arena Animation), Aptech Limited.

The day-long event blended industry learning with immersive student experiences through keynote sessions, AI demonstrations, celebrity interactions and talent showcases, reinforcing Arena Animation's commitment to nurturing industry-ready creative professionals.

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. The celebrity interactions further inspired participants through personal stories of perseverance, career evolution and continuous learning.

Media & Entertainment Skills Council (MESC) collaborated as the Industry Partner and Huion as the Technology Partner for Perspectives 2026. These collaborations underscore Arena Animation's continued focus on building stronger industry-academia linkages, enhancing experiential learning and ensuring students gain exposure to evolving technologies, industry standards and career opportunities shaping India's rapidly growing AVGC-XR ecosystem.

Beyond industry interactions, Perspectives 2026 transformed into a vibrant student festival featuring Arena’s Got Talent, Cosplay Ramp Walk, interactive engagement activities, AI showcases and the popular Khau Gully Food Zone, providing students with multiple platforms to celebrate creativity, collaboration and self-expression.

The event also highlighted Arena Animation's strategic focus on strengthening industry-academia collaboration, integrating emerging technologies into learning and encouraging original intellectual property creation through initiatives such as Arena Animation Originals. These initiatives reflect the institute's vision of developing globally competitive creative professionals equipped with future-ready skills.

Mr. Sandip Weling, Whole-time Director & Chief Business Officer, Global Retail Business, Aptech Limited, said, "As Arena Animation celebrates three decades of shaping creative talent, Perspectives has evolved beyond an industry interaction into a platform where inspiration meets opportunity. The creative economy is witnessing rapid transformation with AI, immersive technologies and digital storytelling redefining how content is created. Through Perspectives 2026, we wanted our students to experience these changes first-hand by learning directly from industry leaders, technology experts and creative professionals who are shaping the future. Equally important was giving our students a stage to showcase their own creativity, confidence and passion. At Arena Animation, our endeavour is to create professionals who are not only technically proficient but also innovative, adaptable and globally employable."

Dr. Amit Behl, said, "The creative industry today offers immense opportunities for young people willing to learn, adapt and stay passionate about their craft. It was wonderful interacting with Arena Animation students who displayed remarkable enthusiasm and curiosity. Their creativity and energy reaffirm that India's next generation of storytellers, artists and creators is ready to make a global impact."

Mr. Shantanu Maheshwari added, "Every creative journey begins with a dream, but it is discipline, continuous learning and resilience that transform dreams into careers. Meeting these talented students and witnessing their passion through Arena’s Got Talent and other activities was truly inspiring. I hope they continue believing in themselves and embrace every opportunity that comes their way."

With India's AVGC-XR sector witnessing unprecedented growth and creative technology reshaping the future of entertainment, advertising, gaming and digital experiences, Arena Animation continues to strengthen its academic ecosystem by integrating AI-enabled workflows, industry collaborations and experiential learning into its curriculum.

As it marks 30 years of creative excellence, Arena Animation remains committed to empowering aspiring artists, designers, storytellers, animators and innovators with industry-relevant skills, global exposure and future-ready education, while contributing meaningfully to India's growing creative economy and AVGC-XR ecosystem.

Also Read: Shantanu Maheshwari continues Campus Beats: The Game of Love promotions despite ankle injury

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