Latest news with #WAVES
New Indian Express
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
‘Create in India Challenge' participants at WAVES to get jobs and career help
NEW DELHI: The Centre is working on a comprehensive roadmap to help the participants of the 'Create in India Challenge', a highlight of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), secure employment and career opportunities. This initiative signals a strong push to nurture creative talent in sectors such as animation, comics, AI, extended reality, gaming, and music in India. The government will be holding discussions with leading industry associations and organisations, which hosted 32 challenges covering a wide range of disciplines including animation, filmmaking, gaming, music, and visual arts in the run up to the event. During the inaugural edition of WAVES in May, around 750 finalists were invited to exhibit their projects and skills at 'Creatosphere', a specially designed platform to highlight cutting-edge innovation and creativity in India's media and entertainment landscape. 'A roadmap is being worked out to ensure the winners of CIC get gainful employment or regular jobs. The government will help them to showcase or sell their content. It will be checked whether Intellectual property (IP) rights can be generated for their content. The efforts are also being made to see if the companies can offer them employment opportunities,' said sources. According to the industry representatives, the initiative will take WAVES to the next level as envisioned by PM Narendra Modi. Comparing the WAVES to global events, Modi termed it a great opportunity to showcase India's creative talent to the world. Some have also suggested nominating brand ambassadors for the Summit expected to be held in February and start a fellowship programme focused on expanding its reach and impact. Though the discussions are at nascent stage, one of the few possibilities to showcase creative talent of CIC winners is to arrange their participation in international events like roadshows. 'To build excitement, several smaller state-level related events can be organised. They can be permanent verticals of the WAVES. Suggestions are also being sought from associations and industry on how to boost their confidence,' said sources. The flagship initiative of WAVES, the CIC garnered significant traction nationwide and globally, with 32 challenges, including Truth Tell Hackathon, Comics Creator Championship, Esports Tournament, Trailer Making Competition and Anime Challenge for which the ministry of information and broadcasting (I&B) received nearly one lakh registration including over 1,100 international entries from 60 countries.
The Hindu
20-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Lighting the spark in U.K.-India cultural relations
May was a month of magical bonanza for United Kingdom-India relations. The long-anticipated Free Trade Agreement was ratified by both Prime Ministers, and it was another milestone that illuminated a different but equally significant dimension of their partnership: culture. On May 2, U.K. Secretary of State for Culture, Rt Hon Lisa Nandy, and India's Minister for Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, signed the Programme of Cultural Cooperation (POCC). This landmark agreement promises to light up the cultural corridor between the two nations, reaffirming their shared creative spirit. The POCC outlines five programme areas: digital technologies for culture, exhibitions and collections, performances and events, cultural property, and sustainability. These themes directly support the creative economy, a core sector driving the U.K. government's industrial strategy. This agreement signals a shared commitment to cross-cultural collaboration and economic growth. Before arriving in Delhi to sign the POCC, Ms. Nandy, the first Labour Cabinet Minister of Indian heritage, was the highest-ranking international delegate at the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) Summit, held in Mumbai. In her keynote, she powerfully highlighted the collaborative potential of the India-U.K. cultural and creative industries, sustainable by nature and an employment multiplier. The growth of the creative arts sector Globally, the creative arts sector is rapidly growing, projected to reach 10% of global GDP by 2030. At the G-20 New Delhi Leaders' Summit in 2023, global leaders unanimously called for greater investment in the sector. India hosting WAVES for the first time underscored its commitment, resulting in significant business deals and international agreements. The POCC between India and the U.K. builds on this momentum. It brings together the Indian Ministry of Culture, the U.K. government's Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and the British Council in India, alongside major U.K. cultural institutions — including Arts Council England, the British Library, the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the Science Museum Group. With over 1,700 accredited museums in the U.K., the scope for partnerships with their Indian counterparts is tremendous, especially around leveraging digital technology for sharing cultural experiences and heritage. At its core, the POCC signals hope: the creative economy can foster a more inclusive future, encompassing tech-driven sectors such as gaming, digital content, film, OTT, television and more — creating opportunities for skilled workers and innovators. That is great news for India. With its deep cultural heritage, cutting-edge technology, skilled artisan base, and the world's largest youth population, India is uniquely positioned to lead. India's creative economy, valued at $35 billion, employs nearly 8% of its workforce, second only to agriculture. According to the Asian Development Bank's report (2022), 'Creative India: Tapping the Full Potential', six of India's top 10 creative hubs — from Badgam in Jammu and Kashmir to Tiruppur in Tamil Nadu — are in non-metro regions. This shows India's diverse cultural heritage. India, with over 300 universities and 3,000 colleges offering courses in design, arts, and architecture, is nurturing a global creative workforce. A role for the U.K. In 2023, during India's G-20 presidency, the U.K. played a pivotal role in supporting the cultural agenda. Artistic partnerships, creative project grants, and year-long cultural exchanges, such as Wales in India, which culminated at the 2024 Hornbill Festival in Nagaland, furthered that agenda bilaterally, redefining India-U.K. cultural ties and building lasting bonds. Why do these global partnerships matter so much? First, the creative economy is evolving rapidly. It faces challenges including skilled labour shortage. To meet this, we need sustained investment in education, vocational training and apprenticeships. International collaborations can help empower creative professionals with global competencies and best practices. Second, emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and augmented reality and virtual reality (AR/VR) are transforming the sector. As the British Council's recent report, Arts and Technologies in India: Reimagining the Future argues, it is time to integrate it into India's creative education framework. Cultural exchange and cross-border partnerships can support professionals in navigating this digital shift. India's creative canvas is expanding, driven by cultural wealth, youth potential, and a bold vision. Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisions India as a global creative hub — and with a three-pronged approach focused on education, skills, and international collaboration, we are well on our way. But it will require sustained cooperation between government, industry and academia to make that vision a reality. Businesses and projects Indian companies, too, are doing their bit. Take Royal Enfield, the iconic U.K.-India motorcycle brand, which is working in the Himalayas through its Social Mission. In partnership with UNESCO, it is helping to safeguard intangible cultural heritage and working with over 580 artisans through its textile conservation project, The Himalayan Knot. This initiative not only preserves sustainable textile traditions but also creates new market linkages for craft communities. Ms. Nandy heard this story first hand at the reception hosted in her honour by British High Commissioner Lindy Cameron and this writer in Delhi, where the Serendipity Arts Festival's Birmingham chapter was also launched — a moving reminder of how businesses can be storytellers too. What truly binds the U.K. and India together are their people and their stories. In a world grappling with conflict and uncertainty, culture and creativity remain among the most time-tested healers of relations between people and nations. And in that, we have every reason to celebrate — and invest in — the creative spark that unites us. Alison Barrett, MBE, is the Country Director India at the British Council
India Today
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
India's cinema halls struggle with dwindling footfalls
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated June 23, 2025)Amidst the glitz and spectacle of the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), one topic weighed on the minds of most film industry stakeholders—the current crisis in the theatre business. 'I have always believed that India has too few theatres, given the size of the country and [number of] people,' actor Aamir Khan said at a session. 'Our biggest theatre hits have had footfalls of 30-35 million. That's 2 per cent of our population in what is a cinema-loving country.' Seated next to him was Ajay Bijli, founder of PVR Cinemas and managing director of country's biggest multiplex chain, PVR INOX Ltd. Bijli replied in jest, 'Main office jaata hoon [I better head to office to get work done].'advertisementThe world's most populous country has just about 9,000 screens, a number that has been steadily declining, largely due to the closure of single-screen cinemas. The figure implies that there are roughly 7-8 screens per million people. More than half of these screens are concentrated in southern territories, predominantly in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, followed by Karnataka and Kerala. Even as new box office benchmarks have been set post-pandemic with releases like Pathaan, Jawan, Animal, Stree 2 and Pushpa–Chapter 2–The Rule, the hard reality is that footfalls have still not matched up to 2019 levels. As Aamir called for more screens in 'vast tracts where there are no cinemas', Bijli reminded us that existing screens were struggling to put bums on the existing 4 million seats. 'Consistency of content that engages is important, as the consumer is critical,' Bijli said. 'We need to start cinemas pockets where they are not available.'advertisement The latest EY report on India's media and entertainment sector states the need for low-priced theatres in Tier III and IV markets alongside growth in 'mass-themed films'. Five months into 2025, there has been only one that fits the bill—Chhaava, a period action drama on Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, which collected Rs 530 crore, a significant chunk of it coming from Maharashtra. Bollywood's sluggish start to the year cannot be attributed to just fewer big releases in the first half. Mid-budget films have also struggled to make an impact, with just a few exceptions such as Kesari-Chapter 2, Raid 2 and Jatt. At Cinepolis India, which has 186 of its 430 screens in Tier II and III centres, the situation is improving, but with a caveat. 'While overall attendance figures have recovered to near pre-Covid levels—85 per cent of 2019 level in 2024—this is primarily due to the increase in screen count rather than per-screen productivity, which is down 25-30 per cent,' says Devang Sampat, the managing director of the multiplex group. 'This disparity highlights the underlying challenges the exhibition sector faces. Ultimately, it boils down to the content the industry is churning out.' The chain's expansion strategy has seen it open cinemas in Kozhikode, Bhopal, Jaipur, Rajkot and Kannur, with plans to set up shop in Jhansi, Pondicherry and Jodhpur in a few DIVIDE Talk to any exhibitor and the conversation ultimately boils down to the lack of a steady stream of compelling films that can lure the audiences back into cinema halls. 'Nobody makes movies for the masses anymore,' says Yusuf Shaikh, whose family operates five single screeners in Gujarat that are just about breaking even. 'We are not ready to understand who our audience is or [have] ignored who they are.' An 'ABCD film', one that connects in all geographic centres, is a rarity, he says. Instead, he praises filmmakers in the South for working out 'their target audience and sale and recovery model' as well as marketing, which has resulted in a few films becoming hits even in the Hindi belt. 'In the South, actors have their own fan clubs. Even the music and trailer launch are events for them,' he no overlooking the fact that the South is way above the rest of India when it comes to big screen viewing. As per of the 6,877 theatres in India, 54 per cent are in the five southern states. Add Maharashtra, and the figure rises to 70 per cent. Screen density in the South too is much higher than the national average. Ashish Pandey, currently head, programming and strategic initiatives, at MovieMax, has been in the film distribution business for over two decades and has some understanding on why the likes of Andhra, Telangana and Tamil Nadu dominate. 'In the South, there's a culture of going to the cinemas. It's not like you are going for the sake of entertainment alone. It's also not considered demeaning to go to the cinemas. So, there's no hesitation,' he says. 'A regular audience comes regardless of which film is released. There's penetration of cinemas even in smaller towns.'advertisement But all is not hunky-dory even in the hero-worshipping South. If there's a Tourist Family (Tamil) or Thudarum or Alappuzha Gymkhana (both Malayalam) which succeeds, there's also a Kamal Haasan-Mani Ratnam's Thug Life, which failed to live up to the hype. Sunil Narang of Asian Cinemas feels some course correction is needed, especially when it comes to aspects such as the theatre-to-streaming release window. In the South, it's just 28 days, compared to 56 days in the Hindi belt. Steep ticket prices as well as those for food and beverage, he feels, are also deterring audiences. 'How can we have more screens when existing screens are not running?' he laments. 'Where are the movies? Where are the numbers? How will the theatres run?' As many as 30-40 single-screen cinemas in the South have closed in the past six months, he says. THE BIG PICTUREadvertisementIf India wants to level up to the markets in China and the United States, what it needs are films that pique audience interest enough for them to make the trip. 'There isn't a regular supply of tentpole pictures or big films. They come once every three months; the rest of the time is when we face a downturn,' says Pandey, whose MovieMax is looking to expand from 80 to 100 screens by the end of the year. 'Once we have a stronger content pipeline, the expectation is that those footfalls will come back. Because people are coming to the cinemas even to watch re-releases and smaller, mid-budget fare like Munjya and 12th Fail.'But even these pleasant surprises are too few and far between. Bijli summarises the cinema theatre business post-pandemic as akin to 'feast and famine', wherein a film does exceedingly well only to be followed by a long dry spell where nothing clicks. Yet, he also realises that new cinemas need to come up in smaller centres as opposed to the big cities. Currently, 372 of PVR INOX's 1,743 screens are located in 66 Tier II and Tier III cities and come with a cumulative seating capacity of 80,947. In 2018, the multiplex giant launched the 'franchise owned, company operated' (FOCO) model to take its presence beyond the metros. Adopting an 'asset-light strategy', FOCO has franchise partners who own the property but with PVR INOX handling the design, operations and customer experience. Under this, 42 screens are operating across 12 locations, with 35 more planned in nine new locations, including Shillong, Gangtok and Shaikh is hoping to revolutionise the film exhibition market with Janta Cinemas, a business idea that emerged from a simple premise: 'Grahak khada hai, dukaan hi nahin hai [(The customer is there. But there's no shop in sight)'. He has tied up with the state governments of Assam and Tripura to convert vacant town halls and panchayat houses into 300-seater cinema spaces. While the morning and afternoon hours are devoted to edutainment, the evenings are reserved for films. Tickets are priced at Rs 99 and Shaikh throws in a chai and samosa too.'What this country needs is cinema halls for the masses. I am planning 10,000 screens in the next two years,' he boasts, adding that he is already communicating with the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Delhi to launch more Janta properties. 'I am converting the pirate audience to the ticketed audience.' The ultimate endeavour, he hopes, is that there's a steady maintenance of average collections through modest outlets, which, in turn, helps build a loyal audience. It may not have swanky recliner seats or fancy food and beverage offerings, but what it can ensure is that the show goes on. A houseful one at to India Today Magazine
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Prasar Bharati adds Shucae Films content to WAVES OTT
In a strategic move to expand digital content and engage wider audiences, Prasar Bharati has partnered with Shucae Films OTT. This collaboration brings Shucae's dynamic slate of original web content to Prasar Bharati's digital platform WAVES, with select shows also airing on its national television network. The alliance underscores Prasar Bharati's ongoing push to modernise content delivery by merging its robust broadcast ecosystem with Shucae Films' creative edge in digital storytelling. Together, they aim to deliver compelling, inclusive and high-quality content for India's evolving media consumers. This partnership strengthens WAVES as a premier OTT Platform for homegrown digital content, building on its mission to blend entertainment with empowerment. Already known for shows like The Lions' Den, WAVES now hosts a fresh lineup of Shucae's popular titles including Jaane Kyun, Ek Ke Peeche Ek, Love Forever, It's a Match, Yeh Hai Meri Love Story!, Belt, Bolo Pencil, Pyaar Ke Panne and 3rd Stanza. Speaking on the collaboration, Gaurav Dwivedi, CEO, Prasar Bharati, said 'This partnership reflects our commitment to offer vibrant, diverse and engaging content to audiences in India and beyond. Our OTT Platform WAVES continues to evolve as a digital-first platform showcasing the best of Indian storytelling ." "We're excited to collaborate with Prasar Bharati and leverage WAVES OTT 's reach to bring our stories to a broader, more connected audience. It's an ideal platform to co-create content that truly resonates." added Manoj Doogra , CEO, Shucae Films. Prasar Bharati's OTT platform, officially launched on November 20, 2024, during the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.
India Today
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
A dwindling audience
Tmidst the glitz and spectacle of the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), one topic weighed on the minds of most film industry stakeholders—the current crisis in the theatre business. 'I have always believed that India has too few theatres, given the size of the country and [number of] people,' actor Aamir Khan said at a session. 'Our biggest theatre hits have had footfalls of 30-35 million. That's 2 per cent of our population in what is a cinema-loving country.' Seated next to him was Ajay Bijli, founder of PVR Cinemas and managing director of country's biggest multiplex chain, PVR INOX Ltd. Bijli replied in jest, 'Main office jaata hoon [I better head to office to get work done].'
