Mumbai: At the World Audio Visual and Entertainment (WAVES) Summit 2025, superstar Rajinikanth spoke about the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians, including one Nepalese national, and left many others injured. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to bring peace to Jammu and Kashmir and expressed faith in his leadership.

Rajinikanth’s support for Prime Minister Modi

In his speech, Rajinikanth said: "After the barbaric, merciless attack that happened at Pahalgam, many people told me that the government would postpone this event because of unnecessary criticism, because the event's subject is entertainment. But, I was confident that this event would definitely happen, because I have confidence in our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi ji."

While commending Prime Minister Modi, he added:

"He is a fighter. He will meet any challenge, and prove what we have been saying for the last one decade — that he will face even this situation gracefully and bravely, and bring peace in Kashmir and glory to our country."

Gratitude for WAVES summit

Expressing his appreciation for being part of the WAVES Summit, Rajinikanth said:

"I am extremely happy to be here, and it's my privilege to be a part of this WAVES moment. My hearty congratulations to the central government..."

Prime Minister Modi inaugurates WAVES 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially inaugurated the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 on Thursday at the Jio World Convention Centre, calling it a historic moment for India’s cultural and creative sectors.

The four-day summit, themed "Connecting Creators, Connecting Countries," aims to position India as a global hub for media, entertainment, and digital innovation.

PM Modi highlights India's storytelling power

In his keynote address, Prime Minister Modi spoke to a diverse audience comprising artists, innovators, industry leaders, and policymakers from over 90 countries.

"...India, with a billion-plus population, is also a land of a billion-plus stories and over a billion storytellers," he said.

"Every street, every river, every mountain in India carries a tale. Across more than six lakh villages, each one holds a new story, a fresh perspective. Truly, India has much more to offer," he added.

About WAVES 2025

WAVES 2025 is India’s first-of-its-kind international summit dedicated to the audio-visual and entertainment sectors. The event will bring together over 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, 300 companies, and 350 startups, creating a powerful cross-sectoral network. It encompasses the entire spectrum of media and emerging technologies — from film and OTT to AVGC-XR, comics, AI, and broadcasting.

The four-day event, which began on 1 May, will continue until 4 May.

ANI inputs