At the WAVES 2025 festival, which has emerged as one of the most important global gatherings of experts in the media and entertainment industry, prominent content creators, industry leaders, and government representatives gathered to shape a vision for the future of media in the digital age.
Famous actor Allu Arjun opened the event by saying, “I believe that WAVES will become the launch pad from which India will take the lead in creating global creative content.” His message resonated strongly with the participants, confirming India as a country with growing potential in the field of creative industries.
One of the main topics was the rise of anime production, where leading experts analyzed the world’s narrative strategies and the growth of this industry. In addition, the latest technological innovations – from the application of artificial intelligence to advanced digital platforms – are presented, which position India at the very top of global creative technology.
The festival also emphasized the importance of social values through the theme “Confronting challenges, writing a new story”, celebrating courage, equality and resilience. In this spirit, directors and actors from Assam participated in a discussion on the challenges and opportunities of the film industry in Northeast India. Mukesh Ambani outlined a vision of a global entertainment revolution led by India, while leading experts analyzed the increasingly important role of artificial intelligence in digital expression. During the discussion on intellectual property, Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), emphasized that it is necessary to transform the global IP ecosystem, because intellectual property acts as a catalyst for employment, innovation and development in all countries.
The panel “The Business of Influence” emphasized the power of authentic storytelling in the world of influencers, and Prem Narayan from the Ogilvy agency emphasized that culture provides brands with a powerful tool for understanding audiences and building deeper connections.
WAVES 2025 also served as a venue for exchanging visions on the future of the Indian media and entertainment sector, with delegations from more than 60 countries including the United Kingdom, Japan and Russia participating. It opened with a discussion on “Legends and Legacies – Stories that Shaped the Soul of India”, and a special tribute was paid to Bollywood legend Manoj Kumar.
Speaking about the importance of the festival, Shah Rukh Khan highlighted how WAVES, conceived under the leadership of the esteemed Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, has become a key platform for cultural exchange and promotion of Indian creativity globally.
The festival was concluded by Minister of State, Dr. L. Murugan, announcing the release of a white paper on the Indian live events industry, a document that represents a strategic.