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Firstpost At Waves: Nagarjuna announces postage stamps honouring Guru Dutt, thanks PM Modi for 'Preserving and Honouring' the legacy of Indian cinema
The World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025) kicked off on May 1, paying tribute to Indian entertainment industry legends. Superstar Nagarjuna, who flew in from Hyderabad, warmly welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on stage and announced a special tribute: the Government of India's Department of Post would release a commemorative miniature sheet of postage stamps honouring Indian cinema's iconic figures, including filmmakers Guru Dutt, Ritwik Ghatak, Raj Khosla, composer-singer-poet Salil Chowdhury, and legendary actor P. Bhanumathi.
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The four-day star-studded summit, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi, aims to showcase India's vibrant creative industries to a global audience.
Nagarjuna took to the stage and in his introductory speech said WAVES celebrates the spirit of India, a country whose stories have 'shaped not just cinema but generations of hearts.'
'During the 55th IFFI, stamps were released to commemorate four legends of Indian cinema—Shri Raj Kapoor ji, Shri Mohammed Rafi ji, Tapan Sinha ji, and my father, Akkineni Nageswara Rao. Now at this grand global platform, we are here to commemorate another historic moment. As India marks 100 years since the birth of five extraordinary visionaries, whose creativity defined the golden age of our films, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) pays tribute to their enduring legacy.
'The Government of India Department of Post will release a commemorative miniature sheet of postage stamps honouring Guru Dutt ji, Ritwik Ghatak ji, Salil Chowdhury ji, Raj Khosla ji and P. Bhanumathi ji. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the I&B ministry and our Honorable Prime Minister of India for their tireless efforts in preserving and honouring the legacy of Indian cinema, through this incredible initiative,' he said.
The superstar then requested PM Modi to grace the stage, who, along with Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Dr L Murugan, launched the commemorative stamps.
The summit unites a diverse array of talent, featuring Indian film and music legends, contemporary icons, and global entertainment leaders, under one platform. Several high-profile celebrities were present on day one, including Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Naga Chaitanya, Sobhita Dhulipala, Sara Ali Khan, and Vicky Kaushal among others.
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