Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 1: The inaugural edition of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 witnessed a glittering start on Thursday at the Jio World Convention Centre (JWCC) in Mumbai, as Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and a host of Indian film legends gathered for the landmark event.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to officially inaugurate the four-day summit, which aims to position India as a global creative powerhouse.
Shah Rukh Khan was seen engaging with organisers and staff as he arrived at the venue, with visuals shared on the official WAVES India Instagram handle. Alongside him, a constellation of Indian cinema icons graced the JWCC, including Chiranjeevi, who made a dignified appearance, and Aamir Khan, who arrived in an elegant traditional black outfit.
Power couple Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor arrived hand-in-hand, while South Indian legend Rajinikanth was also seen entering the summit premises. Other stars spotted at the event included Akshay Kumar, Anil Kapoor, Hema Malini, and Deepika Padukone.
WAVES 2025, a flagship initiative of the Union Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, is envisioned as a platform to leverage India’s creative heritage and accelerate the growth of the creator economy. The summit’s tagline, “Connecting Creators, Connecting Countries”, underscores its global vision.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), WAVES 2025 marks a first-of-its-kind creative summit in India. With participation from over 90 countries, 10,000+ delegates, 1,000 creators, 350+ startups, and 300 companies, the event aims to redefine India’s role in the global audiovisual and entertainment landscape.
Key highlights of the summit include:
- 42 plenary sessions,
- 39 breakout sessions,
- 32 masterclasses spanning films, digital media, AVGC-XR, broadcasting, and infotainment.
A major feature is the WAVES Bazaar, an international e-marketplace bringing together 6,100+ buyers, 5,200+ sellers, and 2,100+ projects to foster global networking and partnerships.
India will also host the Global Media Dialogue (GMD) for the first time, with ministerial representation from 25 countries.
PM Modi will tour the Creatosphere — a showcase of selected winners from the Create in India challenges, which saw over one lakh registrations — and the Bharat Pavilion, spotlighting India’s rich and diverse creative talent.
WAVES 2025 is poised to become a transformative force for India’s creative sectors, bridging tradition and innovation on a global stage.