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WAVES summit 'watershed moment' for India's creative rise: Tirlok Malik
“It is a visionary platform that reflects India’s bold and beautiful leap into the future of media, storytelling, and soft power,” Malik said.
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Staff Reporter
- Mon, 28, Apr 2025
- 16:59 EDT
- 151
Tirlok Malik / Rajeev Bhambri
Tirlok Malik, a New York-based filmmaker and wellness advocate, described the inaugural World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, which will take place in Mumbai, as a "watershed moment" in India's creative industry.
Malik known for highlighting Indian cultural identity through his work, said WAVES 2025 would serve as a major platform to project India’s growing influence in global media, storytelling, and digital innovation.
Also Read: Tirlok Malik's immigrant tale On Golden Years lauded at Teaneck Festival
“This summit is not just another event,” Malik said. “It is a visionary platform that reflects India’s bold and beautiful leap into the future of media, storytelling, and soft power.”
Organized with the support of India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, WAVES 2025 is expected to bring together over 750 creators from across the world, with more than 0.1 million registrations already reported. The summit is being positioned as a global meeting point for filmmakers, content creators, tech innovators, and industry leaders.
Echoing Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s remarks, Malik described WAVES as the "Davos for Creators," comparing its potential impact on the creative economy to the role Davos plays in shaping global economic discussions.
“Just as Davos sets the tone for global economic policy, WAVES 2025 has the potential to shape creative policies, collaborations, and commerce across borders,” he said.
Highlighting the transformative role of technology, Malik pointed out that today’s filmmakers no longer require traditional infrastructure to succeed. "The next great filmmaker may emerge from a remote village, armed not with a giant studio but with a phone, vision, and internet access," he said.
Malik also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for recognizing the strategic importance of India’s creative economy. “He understands that true leadership today lies not just in politics or economics, but in culture, storytelling, and digital transformation,” Malik said. “He’s making space for creators in the global conversation.”
The Indian media and entertainment sector, already among the fastest growing globally, is projected to reach $55–70 billion by 2030, according to industry estimates. WAVES 2025 is expected to further strengthen India’s position as a content creator and exporter on the global stage.
“This summit is showing the world that India is not just consuming content anymore — we are creating it, selling it, exporting it, and setting global trends,” Malik said.
Looking ahead, Malik expressed hope that WAVES would inspire the next generation of Indian talent. “I want Indian youth — filmmakers, animators, musicians — to know that their voices matter. This is their time. WAVES is giving them not just a platform, but a future,” he said.
Malik, who has spent decades promoting Indian values and wellness through his films in the West, said the summit aligns with a broader cultural resurgence. “We’re not just telling stories,” he said. “We’re shaping the narrative of a new India — confident, creative, and globally respected.”
WAVES 2025 is scheduled to take place in Mumbai and is expected to become an annual fixture in the global creative industry calendar.
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