Mumbai to host first-ever WAVES with A-list stars
What's the story
The first-ever World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), which will be held from May 1-4, 2025, at Mumbai's Jio World Convention Centre, will be a star-studded show.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be inaugurating the summit.
As per reports, the event will start with a panel called Legends & Legacies: The Stories That Shaped India's Soul.
It will be moderated by Akshay Kumar with stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Mithun Chakraborty, Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, and Chiranjeevi.
Upcoming sessions
Karan Johar, Anupama Chopra to moderate key sessions
Karan Johar will head The New Mainstream: Breaking Borders, Building Legends session.
SS Rajamouli, AR Rahman, Anil Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Vicky Kaushal are expected to attend that session.
Anupama Chopra will moderate the Multiple Industries: Best Practices session with Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya (2024) actors Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon.
Special appearances
Shah Rukh Khan and Allu Arjun to make appearances
Shah Rukh Khan will also participate in a fireside chat titled The Journey: From Outsider to Ruler, which will be moderated by Johar.
Allu Arjun will be featured on the panel India's Creative Ascent: M&E Leaderson Becoming a Global Powerhouse.
He will be joined by German footballer Ariane Hingst, Italian model Bianca Balti, Israeli actor Rona Lee Shimon, and US singer Mary Jorie Millben.
The day will end with a session remembering Manoj Kumar.
Day 2 highlights
Aamir Khan has two sessions, one masterclass in kitty
Aamir Khan will join the Studios of the Future: Putting India on World Studio Map session, moderated by Ritesh Sidhwani.
He'll be joined by producers Dinesh Vijan, Namit Malhotra, Ajay Bijli, and Charles Roven.
The PK actor will also attend an Indian Cinema, Oriental Look session, and conduct a masterclass titled Redefining Indian Cinema.
May 2
Aishwarya, Kareena, Shraddha, Abhishek to add glamor and insights
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor Khan will speak at the Cinema: The Soft Power session with Nana Patekar and Vijay Devarakonda.
Abhishek Bachchan will join Big B, Nagarjuna, Karthi, and Khushbu for the Pan-Indian Cinema: Myth or Momentum? panel.
Shraddha Kapoor will appear with Instagram's Adam Mosseri for a Gen Z content talk. Bhushan Kumar will discuss music's global rise with YouTube Music's Lyor Cohen.
Last two days
Third and fourth days to highlight streaming, cinematic insights
On May 3, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos will lead a fireside chat during the Streaming the New India session.
The day will also feature a panel on the OTT revolution with the Managing Director, Hungama Digital Media. He will speak with PwC's Chief AI Officer and more.
Filmmaker Farhan Akhtar will also host a masterclass on direction.
On May 4, acclaimed filmmaker Richie Mehta will conduct a special masterclass.