India, May 2 -- I t was a blockbuster Thursday at Mumbai's Jio World Convention Centre as Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar, Hema Malini, AR Rahman, Mohanlal, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, and a bevy of industry bigwigs joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi to launch the first-ever World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025. The four-day global event opened in grand style - from SRK's signature welcome to a stirring orchestral performance by MM Keeravaani that paid homage to India's cinematic legacy. Pitching India as the ultimate content playground, PM Modi called the moment "historic" for the country's cultural and creative sectors. "WAVES is not just a summit - it's a wave of culture, creativity, film, music, gaming and storytelling," he said, addressing a packed house of industry leaders and international delegates. He added, "This is the perfect time to create in India and create for the world." He also announced the upcoming WAVES Awards, envisioned as the "most prestigious" honours in the creative field. Paying tribute to legends such as Dadasaheb Phalke, Guru Dutt, Ritwik Ghatak and Raj Kapoor, the PM highlighted how Indian storytelling - from Satyajit Ray to RRR (2022) - continues to resonate across the globe. Following the PM's address, Akshay Kumar moderated a conversation titled Legends & Legacies: Stories That Shaped India's Soul, featuring Hema Malini, Chiranjeevi and Mohanlal. There was also another session titled The Journey: From Outsider to Ruler, where Karan Johar spoke to Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone and traced their rise in showbiz. htc...