WAVES 2025 turns low-key amid cross-border tensions after Pahalgam attack

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first edition of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai on Thursday, but the much-anticipated event will now unfold against the backdrop of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.

Initially billed as a landmark celebration for India's booming media and entertainment sector, the four-day summit, to be held at the Jio World Centre, will be attended by top industry personalities from across the globe. However, the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 civilians dead, has cast a long shadow over the proceedings.

According to sources, while the event will go ahead as planned, its celebratory tone are expected to be significantly subdued. 

Senior government and industry officials are maintaining that security concerns are being reviewed on a real-time basis. Some insiders admitted there was internal contemplation on whether to postpone WAVES altogether should tensions escalate further or decisive military action unfold.

However, as of now, the government has decided to proceed, albeit in a more low-key and restrained manner compared to the grand global showcase originally envisaged.

The summit was expected to position Mumbai as the permanent global hub for media and entertainment gatherings, much like Davos for business leaders, with an expansive agenda around the creator economy, AI in media, broadcasting regulation, and copyright reforms.

Major sessions, including the "Legends and Legacies" panel featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, Hema Malini, Mithun Chakraborty, and Chiranjeevi (moderated by Akshay Kumar), and the "New Mainstream" dialogue featuring S.S. Rajamouli, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Anil Kapoor, and A.R. Rahman (moderated by Karan Johar), are still on the schedule.

A highly anticipated fireside chat between Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar titled "The Journey: From Outsider to Ruler" remains a key attraction.

The decision to hold WAVES under these sombre circumstances reflects both resilience and pragmatism. 

Yet, it is clear that the event, originally planned as a high-voltage industry gala, will now proceed in a "businesslike and sober spirit," a senior official involved in the planning told BestMediaInfo.com.

The mood, sources said, will be reflective of the national sentiment, where solidarity with victims and a firm posture against terrorism are taking precedence over celebration.

Prime Minister Modi is still expected to interact with key industry leaders privately during the summit. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will chair the Global Media Dialogue with participation from ministers, policymakers, and top executives from global media houses.

Even as celebrations may be muted, WAVES remains a strategically important platform for the government to project India's growing creative economy, estimated to be among the top three media and entertainment markets globally by 2030.

The first edition will also see the launch of the WAVES Awards, recognizing winners of 32 challenges and innovation contests leading up to the summit.