750 creators become part of WAVES as India showcases its digital storytelling talent

As the global media and entertainment community converges in Mumbai for WAVES 2025 – the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit – India is preparing to make a statement that’s part cultural tribute, part creative flex. From May 1 to 4, the sprawling Jio World Centre will host the four-day spectacle, with the launch of the Bharat Pavilion at its heart — a vibrant showcase of the country’s storytelling tradition, tech-driven innovation, and its growing impact on the global content map.

Curated around the theme “Kala to Code”, the Bharat Pavilion celebrates the seamless evolution of India’s artistic roots into a tech-forward creative ecosystem. Anchored by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Pavilion will bring together various state governments, industry leaders, and creative talent to underline India’s position as one of the world’s fastest-growing media and entertainment markets. From print and radio to memes, AI-generated trailers, and mobile-first content, the transformation is more than visible — it’s booming.

What truly sets WAVES 2025 apart is the intentional inclusion of 750 content creators from across the country. These creators — selected through 32 online challenges in categories like dance, DJing, and short-form video — represent India’s grassroots digital power. “These are creators from small towns and villages whose videos go viral — we wanted to give them a platform to shine at WAVES,” said Smita Vats Sharma, Director General, West Zone. She noted that this year’s event has been built with social media at its core, not as an afterthought.

India’s entertainment economy today is not just shaped by star-studded films and massive production houses, but also by the viral power of creators, meme-makers, and fandom pages. As Sayyid Rabeehashmi, Director, PIB Mumbai, pointed out, the summit’s programming is packed with thematic deep dives, sectoral discussions, and B2B opportunities — all catering to a new generation of content entrepreneurs.

Industry heavyweight Netflix has joined hands as a key partner and co-founder of the WAVES trailer-making competition, further reinforcing the platform’s growing interest in India’s digital storytelling ecosystem. A constellation of film stars — from Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai to Ranbir Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor — will be present across the four-day summit. Their involvement is not just symbolic. It signals the growing convergence of traditional cinema with new-age storytelling formats, from reels and web series to AR/VR experiences.

WAVES is a strategic signal. With 4,500 sellers already registered for the WAVES Bazaar, and over approximately 6000 delegates expected to be part of the ecosystem across the year, the scale speaks volumes. India isn’t just exporting films anymore. It’s exporting format ideas, creator culture, social-first storytelling, and tech-backed creativity.

In the age of Instagram reels and influencer-driven virality, a question emerges: how different is a creator’s endorsement from a paid ad? When a brand releases a print ad, audiences know it’s a pitch. But when a social media influencer posts an excited take on the same product — or a film — without a disclosure, the lines blur. Visibility is the currency, but without transparency, authenticity can be compromised. WAVES, in this context, offers a timely conversation space about not just visibility, but accountability in digital amplification.

Read More: Prasar Bharati’s WAVES OTT collaborates with German Football Association