Hollywood studios ready to invest, collaborate with Indian creators to realize PM Modi’s vision for $100 billion creative economy: MPA Chief Charles Rivkin

India’s media and entertainment industry earned high praise and a vote of confidence from Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), during his keynote speech at WAVES 2025 — a landmark event focused on positioning India as a global media powerhouse.

“In this country, and we see the power and potential of Prime Minister Modi's vision for this beautiful nation, a place where creative sectors remain cornerstones of local culture and prosperity,” Rivkin said, addressing an audience of policymakers, creators, and industry leaders. “A place where what originates in Mumbai or Delhi or Kolkata or Chennai can reach audiences far beyond these borders and expand India's global reach.”

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WAVES is being viewed as a key platform for advancing India’s creative economy agenda. The Indian government has ambitious plans to grow the sector into a $100 billion industry, backed by a mix of public-private partnerships, regulatory support, and global collaboration.

“WAVES is one major step in pursuing that dream, and at the MPA, we're determined to partner with Prime Minister Modi, Minister Vaishnaw, JioStar, representatives from government, broadcasting and beyond to help India meet its goals to deepen a relationship that enriches creators and economies in India and in the United States,” Rivkin said.

Highlighting India’s cinematic legacy and technological leadership in visual effects (VFX), Rivkin positioned the country as an attractive partner for major Hollywood studios.

“And to be honest, this isn't really a tough sell because India boasts a long history of stunning storytelling filled with world-class filmmakers and VFX pioneers, and India is a market that our studios believe in. A market ripe for investment, a destination for their great movies and TV shows, and a source for great stories.”

MPA represents major U.S. studios such as Disney, Warner Bros., Netflix, Paramount, Sony, and Universal. Rivkin emphasized that these companies are well-placed to help Indian creators scale globally.

“And with our member companies firmly planted at the intersection of media, technology and culture, we have the resources, the distribution platforms, and the knowledge to help bring Prime Minister's vision to life. By helping local creators distribute their content everywhere and anywhere.”

Referencing a new MPA report, Rivkin reiterated that India’s creative economy has already achieved scale but has much more room to grow. “To help you realize India's ambitions for $100 billion creative economy. And it isn't hard to understand why India is so dedicated to charting this course. And this is already an enormous market for creativity. But there's still room to grow.”

He called for deeper collaboration between American and Indian studios and emphasized the critical role of policy support. “The question is, how can we work together to maximize that potential. How can we, American studios and Indian counterparts, open the doors for even more Indian stories to break through on the world stage?”

While organic growth through streaming platforms is part of the story, Rivkin cautioned against relying solely on virality and emphasized the importance of long-term policy commitments.

“To some extent, the answers will happen organically in the theater of borderless media and streaming local hits with broad appeal. Don’t stay local very long, but hoping a few creative works go viral isn't the only path to success. The choice is made by policymakers everywhere. They have a tremendous impact on the future of production, and the MPA is eager to keep working with the Indian government on how to get there.”

Rivkin listed key enablers like IP protection, regulatory incentives, responsible AI adoption, and infrastructure development as essential for sustained growth.

“That means access to protect intellectual property, implement smart regulations and incentives, embrace the possibilities of AI responsibly, invest in workforce development facilities and everything else the industry needs to succeed.”

Ending his speech on an optimistic note, Rivkin hailed the WAVES as a symbol of India’s resolve and potential.

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“All of this is possible...and if we needed any indication of India's determination to pursue this path, just look around you. WAVES sends a clear message that this government believes in media and entertainment, not just a sector of business, but it's a means to tap into something richer, something deeper.”

“Connections across regions, people to people ties across borders, Indian stories shared, viewed, beloved across the globe. That vision is within reach. So together, the industry leaders and policymakers with MPA studios and Indian creators, let's forge more than an economy of entertainment. Let's build on a culture of creativity that brings India squarely into the center of the global landscape,” he concluded.