- India’s media and entertainment industry, that is currently valued at $28 billion, can grow to $100 billion in the next decade: Mukesh
- Pahalgam terror attack ‘barbaric, merciless’: Rajinikanth
NE ENTERTAINMENT BUREAU
MUMBAI, MAY 1
Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani on Thursday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s presence at the WAVES Summit sends a powerful message of national unity following the terror attack in Pahalgam.
WAVES is being held at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai from 1 to 4 May. The summit features a wide range of speakers from the entertainment industry and aims to strengthen the media and entertainment sector, which recorded revenues of ₹2.5 lakh crore in 2024.
Addressing the summit, Ambani said, “No nation can match India’s storytelling power. So let’s take our stories to the global stage. India has emerged as a global leader in digital technology. Tools like AI can make our stories more captivating and help them reach a global audience. By mastering these tools, we will lead the global industry with blockbusters.”
Ambani emphasised how India’s stories give the hope of a “better future” amid “increasingly turbulent times.” “With their power, we unite, inspire and enrich,” Ambani said. He added how no nation could match the power of India’s storytelling, highlighting the countries age-old stories of Ramayana, Mahabharata and many more. “With great confidence, let us take our stories globally to heal a divided world,” Ambani said.
Ambani further added that India’s media and entertainment industry, that is currently valued at $28 billion, can grow to $100 billion in the next decade. “This growth with create jobs and create a ripple effect,” he added.
Ambani added that WAVES would serve as a platform with an Indian soul and a global voice.
“PM Modi gave the green signal for this summit a few months ago, and it was his vision to amplify India’s voice on the global stage. We have representatives from 90 countries. This is the ‘Josh’ of ‘Naya Bharat’ – bold in its dreams and swift in its execution,” he said.
Ambani had earlier strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, calling terrorism “an enemy of humanity” that must never be supported. He stated, “We fully stand with our Honourable Prime Minister, the Government of India and the entire nation in this decisive fight against terrorism.”
Pahalgam terror attack ‘barbaric, merciless’: Rajinikanth
At WAVES 2025, actor Rajinikanth talked about the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. The superstar called the terror attack “barbaric and merciless” and expressed his confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he is a fighter who would bring peace to Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, at WAVES 2025, Rajinikanth also shared how people told him the government might postpone the four-day event because of “unnecessary criticism” as it focused on entertainment. “But I was confident that this event would definitely happen because of my confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji. PM Modi is a fighter. He will meet any challenge. He has proven it and we have been seeing it in the last decade,” he added.
