Speaking at the WAVES2025 Summit, actress Deepika Padukone hailed the event as a timely and much-needed intervention in India’s media and entertainment landscape. Joining Shah Rukh Khan and filmmaker Karan Johar for a packed session, she emphasized how WAVES could serve as a unifying force for various creative verticals that have long operated in isolation.
Padukone highlighted the fragmented nature of India’s creative ecosystem—where cinema, OTT, animation, immersive tech, and AI often develop on parallel tracks. She noted that WAVES2025 has the potential to weave these strands together into a cohesive narrative. “This convergence can elevate not just the art but the business of entertainment,” she said, signaling a forward-thinking approach to creative collaboration.
Reflecting on her own journey in the session titled The Journey: From Outsider to Ruler, Padukone acknowledged the challenges and triumphs of carving out space in an intensely competitive industry. She supported Shah Rukh Khan’s view that perseverance and self-belief are crucial, while adding that in today’s landscape, artists must also embrace their uniqueness. “In a time of trends and impressions, your true strength lies in being different,” she remarked.
Her comments underscore a broader vision for the future of Indian entertainment—one that is inclusive, tech-savvy, and globally ambitious. As WAVES2025 continues to unfold, Padukone’s insights reflect the optimism and clarity of an artist ready to help shape the next chapter of the industry.