On the first day of the inaugural WAVES (World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit; 1-4 May 2025) event in Mumbai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that technology was playing an increasingly important role in the lives of the people and urged content creators to build a more compassionate future by using art forms such as music, dance and storytelling.
PM Modi said in his opening speech today that this was the right time for “Create in India, Create for World”, when the world was looking for new ways of storytelling, while India had so much more to offer.
WAVES is envisaged as a platform to position India as a global hub for media, entertainment and digital innovation by bringing together creators, start-ups, industry leaders and policy-makers from across the world.
“Humans should not be turned into robots. We need to make them more sensitive,” Modi said at the inauguration of WAVES 2025, urging creative responsibility.
The prime minister’s remarks came against the backdrop of a raging debate over online content and the Supreme Court asking the government to frame guidelines to regulate it.
Modi said that WAVES had the potential to become a global talent platform at a time when India was emerging as an international hub for film production, digital content, gaming, fashion, music and live concerts.
The creative world had the power to foster human compassion and deepen societal consciousness, added the prime minister. The goal was not to create robots but to nurture individuals with heightened sensitivity, emotional depth, and intellectual richness — qualities that could not stem from information overload or technological speed alone, he added.
Highlighting the need to protect young generations from divisive and harmful ideologies, PM Modi stated that WAVES could serve as a vital platform to uphold cultural integrity and instil positive values.
The Summit began with a stirring invocation of a hymn from RigVeda set to tune by Academy Award winner MM Keeravani and performed by singers such as Shreya Ghoshal.
Actor Shah Rukh Khan set the ball rolling by welcoming the guests to the Summit. Film personalities like Anupam Kher, Hema Malini, Mohanlal, Rajinikanth, Kartik Aryan, SS Rajamouli, and Anil Kapoor made brief speeches and lauded the prime minister’s vision of creating a global platform for Indian talent.
The prime minister said, “Like Indian khana (food), I am sure Indian gaana (songs) will also become globally popular. Even though the screen size is getting smaller, the scope is becoming infinite.”
Alia, Deepika, Shah Rukh: Bollywood stars shine bright at WAVES 2025
Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone, and Shah Rukh Khan were among the Bollywood A-listers who upped the glamour quotient today at WAVES 2025.
Deepika turned up at the summit in a custom-made two-piece salwar suit outfit by celebrity designer Masaba Gupta.
Alia celebrated Maharashtra Day, which commemorates the formation of the state in 1960, by wearing a Paithani sari, draped in Maharashtrian style. She arrived with husband and Brahmastra co-star Ranbir Kapoor, who was dressed in a bandhgala suit.
Shah Rukh wore a sleek black jacket and trousers, while Aamir Khan opted for a traditional black bandhgala and paired it with matching trousers.
Akshay Kumar, who moderated one of the earlier sessions at WAVES 2025, was dressed in a brown suit.
Saif Ali Khan arrived in a white three-piece ensemble outfit. He wore a maroon Nehru jacket, while his daughter and actress Sara Ali Khan was dressed in an ivory salwar-suit.
Shahid Kapoor, dressed in an all-white suit, was accompanied by entrepreneur wife Mira Rajput, who complemented him with a cherry red outfit.
Veteran actress Hema Malini was seen in a yellow silk sari, while actress Nimrat Kaur opted for a regal purple sari.
The World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) aims to unlock a USD 50 billion market by 2029, expanding India’s footprint in the global entertainment economy.
