India always had the soul. Now, we have the stage: Film industry at WAVES Summit 2025

Actors from across film fraternities converged at WAVES Summit 2025, lauding the initiative with its promise of convergence, global partnerships, and creative empowerment

by e4m Staff
Published: May 2, 2025 10:47 AM | 2 min read

The inaugural WAVES Summit 2025 has signalled a paradigm shift for India’s media and entertainment sector, drawing strong support from top industry icons who view it as a timely intervention that could unlock new levels of growth, convergence, and global relevance.

Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan called WAVES a “relevant and much-needed initiative” and thanked the Prime Minister for spearheading a platform that brings government and industry together. He underlined the summit’s role in enabling policy support, infrastructure growth, and international partnerships. Khan also pitched the ‘Shoot in India’ vision, suggesting India could become a preferred destination for global filmmakers. He emphasized the need for cinema to be made more accessible to tier-2 and tier-3 cities, proposing the revival of single-screen theatres as a way to expand audience reach.

Actor Deepika Padukone highlighted WAVES as a convergence platform that finally brings together traditionally siloed sectors—films, OTT, animation, gaming, AI, and immersive tech. “It’s a timely effort to create synergy between creative verticals that have so far evolved in isolation,” she noted.

Telugu superstar Allu Arjun echoed this sentiment, calling WAVES a “launching pad” for Indian storytelling on the global stage. “India has always had the soul. Now, we have the stage,” he said, stressing the global potential of Indian content.

Veteran actress and MP Hema Malini lauded the government’s role in giving creators a powerful platform, while Malayalam cinema legend Mohanlal noted how evolving formats have blurred the lines between art and commercial cinema. “Ultimately, storytelling moves people, regardless of the label,” he said.

For the entertainment industry, WAVES could offer multiple long-term benefits: streamlined approvals for shoots, public-private collaborations, access to funding for indie creators, AI integration in content production, and a stronger global presence. More importantly, it sets the stage for a structured dialogue between policymakers and creators—something the industry has long called for.

With its promise of convergence, global partnerships, and creative empowerment, WAVES is more than just a summit—it’s a national strategy to put India at the forefront of the global entertainment revolution.