WAVES Bazaar, the flagship market initiative under the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), has swiftly emerged as a powerful platform for global collaboration and deal-making in India’s media and entertainment sector. By the end of just one and a half days of operations, the initiative has clocked confirmed transactions worth over Rs.250 crore, with the figure projected to surpass Rs.400 crore by the summit’s conclusion on May 4.

The announcement was made during a press conference held in Mumbai on May 2, where Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, addressed the media. According to a press release by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), WAVES Bazaar is designed to position India as a strategic global hub for content commerce—bringing together Indian creators and global investors, buyers, and collaborators under one roof.

The event saw participation from 22 countries, including the USA, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Netherlands, and New Zealand. With 95 international buyers and 224 sellers taking part, WAVES Bazaar became a dynamic cross-border market, attracting industry heavyweights like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Meta, Disney Star, Zee Entertainment, Banijay Asia, Sony LIV, YRF, Jio Studios, Dharma Productions, Warner Bros. Discovery, Rotterdam Film Festival, and Rushlake Media.

A major highlight was the Viewing Room, where 115 filmmakers presented completed projects to international buyers. From these, 15 were named Top Selects and felicitated by renowned casting director Mukesh Chhabra, with actor Tiger Shroff attending to support one of the selected titles. In addition, 15 other works were showcased in Market Screenings, receiving appreciation from global stakeholders.

WAVES Bazaar also hosted a Pitch Room, where 16 curated early-stage projects—selected from 104 submissions—were given the opportunity to pitch live to producers and financiers. Another milestone was the launch of India’s first dedicated B2B buyer-seller market, conducted in association with FICCI, offering structured meetings between creators and buyers from May 1–3.

Several significant international deals were announced on Day 2. ‘Khidki Gaon’, one of the Top Selects films, clinched a VFX and post-production deal with the Asian Cinema Fund (ACF), a support program under the Busan International Film Festival.

In another major development, Broadvision Perspectives (India) and Fabrique d’Images Group (Europe) announced a €30 million Indo-European Animation Alliance to co-produce four animated feature films under Indo-French and Indo-Belgian treaty frameworks. The agreement was formalised by Mark Mertens, COO of FDI Group, and Sriram Chandrasekaran, CEO of Broadvision Perspectives.

Further boosting international collaboration, a co-production MoU between India and the UK was signed by Amanda Groom (The Bridge, UK) and Munjal Shroff (Graphiti Studios, India), aimed at developing a factual series delving into India’s colonial history.

Adding a cultural highlight to the event, TV Asahi announced the “Shin chan India Year” to celebrate the show’s immense popularity in India. The initiative includes the theatrical release of Shin chan: Our Dinosaur Diary on May 9, a Diwali release of The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers in India, and fan engagement events scheduled for Anime India (August) and Mela Mela JAPAN (September).

With its robust international presence, high-value deals, and cultural milestones, WAVES Bazaar has firmly positioned itself as a cornerstone in India’s strategy to lead global content partnerships and entertainment commerce.