**Executive Summary**
The Waves Bazaar at Bharat Parv showcased India as a global content hub, highlighting the country's expanding influence across cinema, media, and emerging creative technologies. The event, hosted by NFDC under the WAVES initiative, included panel discussions, open pitch sessions for filmmakers and tech startups, and presentations from Delhi and Maharashtra on strategic film tourism roadmaps. The event took place at the Ritz with information posted on 15 FEB 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **India as a Global Content Factory:**
* The event highlighted India's rising stature as a global content factory, emphasizing talent and new business models.
* Government initiatives such as WAVEX and CIC are strengthening India's production scale and enabling cross-border collaborations.
* **Ministerial Presentations: Delhi and Maharashtra:**
* Delhi and Maharashtra presented their strategic agendas to promote regional film tourism.
* Delhi highlighted revamped policies for filmmakers.
* Maharashtra detailed initiatives to provide end-to-end production support and financial incentives.
* **Spotlight on Global Co-Productions: The Kurinji Project:**
* The Waves Bazaar Global Outreach Delegation showcased the India-France-Germany co-production, Kurinji.
* The project highlights India's growing presence in globally relevant storytelling.
* **Empowering New Talent: Open Pitches & CIC:**
* "Filmmakers & Tech Startups Open Pitch" showcased nine feature film projects seeking co-production partners and financing.
* The Create in India Challenge (CIC) winners also generated interest.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder:** Filmmakers and Tech Startups
**Impact:** Empowered through open pitch sessions and potential collaborations.
**Action Required:** Participate in pitch sessions and explore collaboration opportunities.
**Stakeholder:** Delhi and Maharashtra Governments
**Impact:** Opportunity to promote film tourism and showcase supportive policies.
**Action Required:** Implement and refine strategic roadmaps for film tourism.
**Stakeholder:** International Production Partners
**Impact:** Opportunity to engage with India's growing film industry.
**Action Required:** Explore co-production opportunities and partnerships.
Key Entities Referenced
WAVES (World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit): An initiative under which the Waves Bazaar is organized, aiming to highlight India's growing influence across cinema, media and emerging creative technologies.
NFDC (National Film Development Corporation): Hosted the Waves Bazaar event and is collaborating with WAVES to empower filmmakers and tech start-ups.
Maharashtra: Presented their strategic agendas for regional film tourism with a focus on Maharashtra Film City.
Delhi: Presented their strategic agendas for regional film tourism, highlighting the capital's revamped policies for filmmakers.
Bharat Parv: An event where the Waves Bazaar was organized, showcasing India as a global content hub.
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
WAVES Bazaar at Bharat Parv Showcases India
as a Global Content Hub; Maharashtra and Delhi
Unveil Strategic Film Tourism Roadmaps
NFDC and WAVES Collaborate to Empower Filmmakers and
Tech Start-ups through Open Pitch Sessions and Global
Panel Discussions
Posted On: 15 FEB 2026 4:24PM by PIB Delhi
The Waves Bazaar, organised as part of Bharat Parv at the Ritz, witnessed a landmark congregation of
global cinema experts, technology innovators and policymakers. Hosted by National Film Development
Corporation (NFDC) under the WAVES (World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit) initiative, the
event underscored India’s rising stature as a “Global Content Factory,” highlighting the country’s
expanding influence across cinema, media and emerging creative technologies.
India as a Global Content Factory
The day commenced with opening remarks by Shri Gautam Bhanot, GM – NFDC, who outlined the “Way
Forward” for India’s AVGC and film sectors. A high-level panel discussion titled “India as a Global
Content Factory: Scale, Talent, and New Business Models”, moderated by Vidushi Kain, General Manager
– Media & Communication, NFDC, explored India’s growing potential to lead international storytelling.
Featuring Marten Rabarts (IFFR Pro), Katharina Suckale (Bombay Berlin Film Productions), and
Tommaso Priante (Luminalia), the discussion highlighted how platforms like Film Bazaar, WAVESBazaar, and government-supported initiatives such as WAVEX and CIC challenges are strengthening
India’s production scale, nurturing talent, and enabling cross-border collaborations, positioning the
country as a globally competitive hub for creative industries and innovation.
Ministerial Presentations: Delhi and Maharashtra
In a significant push for regional film tourism, both Delhi and Maharashtra presented their strategic
agendas. Shri Kapil Mishra, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism, Art & Culture (Delhi), led the presentation for
Delhi Tourism, highlighting the capital's revamped policies for filmmakers.
This was followed by a presentation on Maharashtra Film City by Shri Ashish Shelar, Hon’ble Minister of
Culture (Maharashtra). The Minister detailed the state’s initiatives to provide end-to-end production
support and financial incentives to boost local and international projects. Both Ministers were felicitated
for their contribution to the cultural economy.
Spotlight on Global Co-Productions: The Kurinji Project
At Bharat Parv on 13 February, the Waves Bazaar Global Outreach Delegation at the European Film
Market showcased the internationally mounted feature Kurinji through a panel discussion on its India–
France–Germany co-production model. The session featured writer-director Payal Sethi and her
international producing partners.
A recipient of the Berlinale Talents fellowship and First Prize at the NFDC Waves Film Bazaar Co-
Production Market, Kurinji is a character-driven drama set in Kerala exploring migration, identity, and
resilience. Produced by FilmKaravan, known for the International Emmy-winning series Delhi Crime, the
project reflects strong cross-border collaboration and highlights India’s growing presence in globally
relevant storytelling.
Empowering New Talent: Open Pitches & CIC
A dedicated segment, “Filmmakers & Tech Startups Open Pitch,” showcased nine feature film projects
spanning diverse genres and regions. These included Kabootar, a Hindi-Japanese mystery drama seeking
co-production partners; Yeh Mera Ghar (My Home), a completed art-house drama exploring migration;
and THE G.O.A.T., a Tamil-English animated children’s feature and XR project in financing.Other projects presented at Bharat Parv on 13 February included Echoes of the Herd, an award-winning
Himalayan drama; White Guy, a 1980s UK-set coming-of-age musical; Mr. Francis & The Last Standing
PCO, a Konkani-Hindi fantasy romance; KANHI DOOR (Still… Somewhere), a Berlin-India drama; Ade
(On a Weekend), a Tenyidie coming-of-age story from Nagaland; and ICE-PICE, a Hindi drama set within
a prison.
Innovation was further highlighted through the Wave X showcase, featuring Crewbella’s decentralised
festival monetisation platform, Tuttifrutti Games’ AI-powered mythological gaming IP, Zangoh’s
generative AI localisation tools, and FolkLog’s animation-led folk heritage platform.
The Create in India Challenge (CIC) winners also generated interest, including Road To Jinji, a historical
animated feature on Rajaram’s escape, and The Dream Balloon, a large-scale animated fantasy adventure
in advanced development.
The afternoon concluded with a specialized panel on the Kurinji Project, an international co-production
between India, France, and Germany, followed by intensive B2B meetings involving the Indian delegation
to foster global partnerships.
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Mahesh Kumar/ Vivek Vishwash
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