Mumbai witnessed a major milestone in the global media and entertainment industry as WAVES Bazaar 2025, the flagship market initiative of the WAVES Summit, recorded business transactions exceeding ₹250 crore within its opening days. Announcing the remarkable achievement, Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, highlighted the event’s pivotal role in positioning India as a global hub for content commerce.

WAVES Bazaar 2025, conceived as a platform to foster cross-border collaborations, successfully brought together key stakeholders—creators, investors, buyers, and producers—from 22 countries, including the USA, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Russia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. The inaugural edition saw the participation of 95 international buyers and 224 sellers, underscoring its growing significance in the global media market. Notable attendees included industry giants such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Meta, Disney Star, Zee Entertainment, Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony LIV, and Jio Studios.

The event featured diverse segments to support content creators at various stages. The Viewing Room showcased 115 completed works to international buyers, with 15 projects being recognised as ‘Top Selects.’ These distinguished works were felicitated by renowned casting director Mukesh Chhabra, while actor Tiger Shroff lent his support to one of the selected titles. In addition, the Market Screenings segment offered buyers a chance to preview 15 acclaimed projects, enhancing opportunities for international distribution.

A key feature was the Pitch Room, where 16 promising projects—curated from 104 submissions—were presented live to potential investors and partners. This platform provided early-stage creators with an invaluable opportunity to engage with industry leaders and secure collaborative deals.

One of the unique aspects of WAVES Bazaar 2025 was the launch of India’s first dedicated B2B buyer-seller meetings, organised in partnership with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI). Spanning from May 1 to 3, these sessions facilitated focused deal-making and strategic alliances across sectors, including film, music, animation, radio, and VFX.

Among the prominent announcements was a €30 million co-production agreement between Broadvision Perspectives (India) and Fabrique d’Images Group (Europe) to develop four animated feature films. This Indo-European Animation Alliance, formalised by Mark Mertens, COO of FDI Group, and Sriram Chandrasekaran, Founder & CEO of Broadvision, marks a significant advancement in international animation partnerships.

Another highlight was the signing of an MoU between Amanda Groom of The Bridge (UK) and Munjal Shroff of Graphiti Studios (India) to co-develop a factual series exploring India’s colonial history, reinforcing growing Indo-UK collaboration in documentary storytelling.

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Additionally, TV Asahi announced the “Shin chan India Year” initiative, celebrating the franchise’s immense popularity in India. The campaign includes the theatrical release of Shin chan: Our Dinosaur Diary on May 9, followed by The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers in India during Diwali 2025, along with fan engagement events at Anime India and Mela Mela JAPAN.

With deals expected to surpass ₹400 crore by the event’s conclusion, WAVES Bazaar 2025 has firmly established itself as a catalyst for global partnerships, driving India’s ascent in the international media and entertainment landscape.

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