WAVES 2025 Will Establish India As a Global Creative Hub

Shah Rukh Khan. Deepika Padukone. Rajinikanth. Mohanlal. Alia Bhatt. Allu Arjun. It is the kind of list that would make all of India sit up and take notice. Each of them is a powerhouse in themselves. Each of them commands the adulation of millions of people. To see them individually is the dream of many, to see them together on one platform is beyond the imagination of most. But that is what World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) is doing. The inaugural WAVES Summit will take place from May 1 to May 4 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the four-day summit.

A few days ago, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “The summit will provide a great opportunity to show to the world India’s huge potential in the field of entertainment, talent, and creativity.”

Launched by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting its mission is to “empower global media and entertainment leaders with exclusive investment opportunities”. It seeks to do this through a variety of means. Even by global standards, India is a major consumer and creator of films and series. WAVES aims to “amplify India’s voice as a global powerhouse”. Entertainment is a porous field, with cultures and influences crisscrossing and colouring each other. WAVES will promote dialogue and collaboration between Indian and global stakeholders. It will also provide a platform to diversify revenue models and streams. While focusing on the present, WAVES is also future ready. It will be a platform which will empower the next generation of creators and entrepreneurs. At a time, when there is so much flux across industries, WAVES will nurture entrepreneurs and young creators by embracing innovation. WAVES’ engagement with the past and the future is evident in its theme—‘Kala to Code’. WAVES aims to make India a global hub for creative expression under the ‘Create in India’ vision.

The plenary sessions at WAVES promise to be of intellectual and commercial interest. The sessions will also be complimented by breakout sessions, master classes and cultural programmes.

The excitement over WAVES has long been in the offing as two months ago, Prime Minister Modi chaired an online meeting with top film stalwarts, where the likes of Akshay Kumar and Anil Kapoor voiced their support of the summit.

Interest in WAVES was also kindled with the announcement of a unique ‘Reel Making’ Challenge where storytellers were asked to submit 30-90 second film clips, using META tools. Organised by the Internet and Mobile Association of India in partnership with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the challenge received an overwhelming response from India and 20-plus other countries.

WAVES is truly a platform to bolster and nurture India’s entertainment and film industry, its mandate is clearly much more than just a summit.

businessentertainmentNarendra Modinew technologyShah Rukh Khan. Deepika Padukone. Rajinikanth. Mohanlal. Alia Bhatt. Allu ArjunWAVES 2025