Kiran Mazumdar Shaw Outlines India's Creative Future at WAVES 2025 Startups Urged to Think Beyond Films and Build Global IP, Brands, and Ecosystems “

 Kiran Mazumdar Shaw Outlines India's Creative Future at WAVES 2025

Startups Urged to Think Beyond Films and Build Global IP, Brands, and Ecosystems

“This is the Time to Create New Stories Blending Tradition and Technology”: Shaw

 

Mumbai, May 3 – Indian startups in the creative content space must think beyond films and focus on building globally impactful brands, ecosystems, and intellectual property, said Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, a global business leader and founder of Biocon. She was speaking during a dialogue session on the second day of the inaugural global audiovisual entertainment summit, WAVES 2025, held at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai.

 

Kicking off the conversation with Forbes Editor-at-Large Maneet Ahuja on the theme “India’s Innovation Renaissance: The Next Decade of Global Startups”, Shaw spoke about the global potential of Indian narratives. Referring to the Ramayana, she said, “This is the right time to create new stories that blend tradition and technology. Just as George Lucas took inspiration from timeless Indian epics for ‘Star Wars,’ we too can use technology to transform our cultural heritage into global franchises.”

 

Speaking about India’s demographic and digital strengths, Shaw remarked, “With billions of smartphones and a tech-savvy Gen Z population, India is poised for global innovation. But just like every blockbuster begins with a single idea and relentless focus, success starts small.” She drew a parallel with her own journey of starting Biocon in a garage and transforming it into a global biotech powerhouse.

 

On India’s creative economy, Shaw emphasized the need to focus on the growth of the "Orange Economy", which holds massive potential. “Currently, the media and entertainment sector contributes $20 billion to India’s GDP. We must aim for a $100 billion creative economy by 2047 and ultimately reach $1 trillion, in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision,” she stated.

 

Empowering Creative Makers and Startups

When asked about India’s creative potential, Shaw pointed to the integration of AR, VR, and immersive experiences as key frontiers. “The next unicorns won’t just be apps, but creative creators who understand intellectual property, technology, and immersive storytelling,” she said.

 

Quoting the song ‘Naatu Naatu’ from the film RRR as an example, she stressed that Indian creativity must go beyond merely connecting with communities emotionally — it must also be globally relevant. “Every great idea begins small. How far you take it is what truly matters,” she said, noting that failure is a part of this journey