Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a heartfelt tribute to the legends of Indian cinema on Thursday as he released commemorative postage stamps in honour of five celebrated film personalities at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025.

The grand event, hosted at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai, marked a significant moment for India’s cultural and cinematic legacy.

As reported by ANI, the stamps commemorate the contributions of filmmaker Guru Dutt, actress and multi-talented artist P. Bhanumathi, director Raj Khosla, auteur Ritwik Ghatak, and legendary music composer Salil Chowdhury. These cinematic stalwarts, who shaped Indian film across decades, were recognised for their immense artistic impact on national and global stages.

Following his keynote address to an audience of delegates, creators, and industry leaders from more than 90 countries, PM Modi released the stamps as a symbol of respect for Indian cinema’s timeless legacy. Reflecting on the country’s cultural power, he said, “From Raj Kapoor’s legacy in Russia to Satyajit Ray’s brilliance at Cannes, and RRR’s triumph at the Oscars, these milestones speak volumes.”

He added, “Whether it’s Guru Dutt’s poetic cinema, AR Rahman’s musical rhythms, or Rajamouli’s epic storytelling, these narratives have touched hearts across the world. Just as a mother weaves dreams for her child, the creative world weaves the dreams of an entire era.”

PM Modi also made a nostalgic reference to India’s first feature film Raja Harishchandra, released on May 3, 1913, by Dadasaheb Phalke. The Prime Minister noted that Phalke’s birth anniversary had been celebrated just a day earlier, marking over a century of cinematic storytelling in India.

The WAVES 2025 summit — India’s first-of-its-kind global platform for the audio-visual and entertainment industries — aims to position the country as a global hub for creative talent, technology, and storytelling. The event features participation from over 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, 350 startups and more than 300 companies across sectors like film, OTT, gaming, AVGC-XR, AI, comics, and broadcasting.

A key highlight of the summit is the WAVES Bazaar, an international e-marketplace facilitating creative collaborations with over 6,100 buyers, 5,200 sellers, and 2,100 projects. PM Modi praised the initiative, saying it will connect artists to global markets and unlock new economic avenues for India’s creative sector.

He also visited the Creatosphere, where he interacted with select winners of the “Create in India” challenges — a series of initiatives that drew over one lakh participants. Additionally, the Bharat Pavilion, curated to showcase India’s creative evolution, drew special mention from the Prime Minister, who lauded the innovation and diversity on display.

With the theme “Connecting Creators, Connecting Countries,” WAVES 2025 is hosting the Global Media Dialogue for the first time, with ministerial delegations from 25 countries. The four-day summit is projected to help India tap into a $50 billion creative economy by 2029.