I have always believed that India is the land of boundless creativity, unstoppable passion, and unmatched ingenuity. Long before we had large-scale investments and fancy studios, we had hard work and jugaad. That’s how iconic films like Mr. India came to life. My friend Shekhar Kapoor can tell you stories about the tiny fixes and clever ideas that powered that film — it wasn’t money, it was pure brain and heart.

But times have changed. Audiences have changed. Today, the world of entertainment is no longer limited to a cinema hall or television screen. It’s spread across virtual worlds, AI-powered avatars, high-end visual effects, and immersive experiences. If India wants its next Mr. India to not just charm the country, but to reverberate around the world, we must equip our creators with more than just ideas — we must give them resources, direction, mentorship, and platforms.

And that’s where the Government’s WAVES initiative comes in. WAVES is not just a program — it is a movement designed to strengthen the entire Media & Entertainment ecosystem.

Producing great cinema, games, virtual experiences or music is no longer a task for Bollywood alone. It requires strong post-production pipelines, world-class VFX studios, seamless business environments, cutting-edge animation houses, and, above all, a supportive ecosystem of investors and mentors. For years, we’ve had incredible creators in this country, but what we lacked was the bridge between those ideas and the big stage. WAVES has come forward to build that bridge. The grand vision behind this mega Media and Entertainment event has been inspired by none other than Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi ji himself, with strong support from almost every major industry association (FICCI, IDGS, CII, ICA etc) of the sector. The event’s design and direction are being shaped by an advisory board comprising stalwarts from the film and entertainment world — and I’m proud to say, I’m one of them!

One of the most exciting components of WAVES is WAVEX — a startup accelerator built to nurture the boldest ideas in entertainment and media. WAVEX integrates creativity, innovation, and investment into one dynamic platform. Here, young creators, tech entrepreneurs, and dreamers will not only find funding from top investors but also mentorship and exposure to industry legends.

WAVES Summit is set to take place at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai from 1st to 4th May. On 2nd and 3rd May, the spotlight will be on startups as they pitch their innovations to some of the sharpest minds and investors in the industry. The best among them will even stand a chance to secure a direct entry into the prestigious Sony Shark Tank India — now if that isn’t double jhakkas, what is?

And the ideas emerging from this platform are nothing short of thrilling! Virtual reality simulations where you can step into a digital battlefield and stop Mogambo’s missiles, magical educational gadgets with blinking lights and colorful buttons, AI-driven avatars that can talk in my style (yes, imagine that!), drone-shot virtual tourism experiences, high-energy music battles, truth-verifying tools, piracy busters, and so much more.

All this and more is being showcased under WAVES and WAVEX, opening new frontiers for creativity and investment in India’s entertainment industry.

What excites me even more is the chance for these startups to engage directly with global leaders like Shantanu Narayen, Satya Nadella, Adar Poonawalla, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, and experts from OpenAI, YouTube, Microsoft, and Google. Learning from the best is how the best are made.

I have no doubt that with initiatives like WAVES and WAVEX, India’s creators will not just entertain the world — they will redefine it.

So to all the bright minds and creative souls out there:

if you’ve got a dream, this is your stage.

Register your startup at wavex.wavesbazaar.com before May 21st.

The future is waiting. 1...2 ka 4!

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