Redrawing India’s cinematic future

As the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) came to a close in Goa, there was a sense that something larger than the event itself had just taken place.

- CHAITANYA K. PRASAD

Not just a celebration of cinema, but a redefinition of what India means to the world of storytelling. The applause that rang out during the closing ceremony wasn’t only for the award winners or the mesmerising cultural performances. It was for the quiet but unmistakable realisation that Indian cinema, in all its chaotic, colourful, multilingual glory, is no longer knocking on the door of the global stage, it has already walked in.

Over nine days, the festival transformed Goa into a pulsating creative laboratory. From the majestic red-carpet arrivals to the spontaneous, soul-stirring conversations between filmmakers from Iran and Assam, Slovenia and Kerala, it was a reminder that cinema continues to be one of the rare forces that can hold contradictions, commercial and experimental, local and global, ancient and futuristic, within a single frame. What made IFFI 2025 unforgettable wasn’t just its scale, or even its selection of films. It was the confidence with which India projected itself. Not as a country seeking approval, but as a country defining the terms of engagement.

Take, for instance, the WAVES Film Bazaar, which this year generated a staggering Rs 1,050 crore in business. This isn’t merely a record, it’s a statement. India is no longer just a location for film shoots or a market for finished products. Its a co-production powerhouse, a breeding ground for emerging talent, and an investment-worthy ecosystem for anyone looking to bet on the future of global entertainment. With participation from over 77 countries, WAVES positioned India as a serious player not only in content creation but in the business of culture. In a world rapidly turning to soft power as a marker of geopolitical influence, this matters more than we acknowledge.