India took centre stage at the Cannes Film Market on Tuesday with the grand opening of the Bharat Pavilion, just a week after hosting the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai.

The pavilion, set up by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), serves as a gateway to showcase India’s thriving creative economy and content prowess at the world’s biggest film market.

According to a UNI report, the inauguration ceremony was marked by a strong presence of Indian cinema’s torchbearers, including veteran actor Anupam Kher and internationally renowned filmmaker Shekhar Kapur. “I am so proud to be an Indian. Indian cinema sells dreams,” Kher said, adding, “I am here because Bharat needs me.” The actor, who is attending Cannes for the first time, called it a milestone in his 40-year journey across 545 films, likening the festival to the “Maha Kumbh of cinema.”

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, who is also the Festival Director of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa, stressed the timeless power of storytelling. “It is not technology, but storytelling that dominates cinema. Culture will survive if we share our stories,” he said. The event also saw the unveiling of the official poster for the 56th edition of IFFI, which will be held in Goa from November 20 to 28.

Ravi Kottarakara, president of the Film Federation of India (FFI), highlighted the country’s rich cinematic offerings, stating, “The Indian film industry has brought content to Cannes this year,” underlining India’s rising significance as a global content hub.

The inauguration was further graced by Anne-Louise Mesadieu, special delegate for diplomatic relations of the Paris regional administration, who spoke warmly about Indo-French collaborations. “India’s storytelling influences continents, including France,” she remarked, while welcoming more co-productions in the Paris region. Past successful collaborations include Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine As Light’, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes last year, Shuchi Talati’s Girls Will Be Girls, and Rohena Gera’s upcoming project ‘All That We Could Be’. Gera’s debut film Sir had earlier featured in Critics’ Week at Cannes in 2018.

The Bharat Pavilion aims to host a series of talks, panels, and seminars throughout the 10-day Cannes Film Market, promoting partnerships and creative exchange in the global film ecosystem.

This year’s official selection at the Cannes Film Festival includes three Indian titles – Neeraj Ghaywan’s ‘Homebound’, Satyajit Ray’s newly restored classic ‘Aranyer Din Ratri’, and ‘A Doll Made Up of Clay’, a student film from the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata – further cementing India’s deepening cultural footprint on the global stage.