In this episode of Industry Spotlight by Creative First, Sreerag Mukundan, CEO of Waves Bazaar & Deputy Director, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, spoke with Lohita Sujith, Sr. Director, Copyright & Digital Economy at the Motion Picture Association, about the platform’s expanding role in global film collaboration and talent development.

They discussed how this year’s Waves Bazaar focused on quality and tangible outcomes, with strong international interest across viewing rooms, co-production markets, and work-in-progress screenings. Waves Bazaar worked closely with major production houses and OCC platforms to ensure real selections, deals, and investment opportunities for filmmakers.

With the focus on building Waves Bazaar as a one-stop, hybrid (online and offline) global platform, Sreerag spoke about the activation of small format, physical WAVES Bazaar events in India and internationally. Having identified over 30 international events to be present in, they have already participated in 8 international events, such as major festivals including those in Melbourne, Busan and Toronto among others. Cumulatively they have already facilitated over 300 cr worth of business deal discussions for the film sector, and over 200 cr worth of investment discussions for the gaming sector under the WAVES Bazaar Banner.

Sreerag explained how new AI-driven matchmaking tools were being integrated to help creators and buyers find ideal partners, build stronger pitch decks, and showcase projects more effectively. The platform also began introducing professional evaluator ratings and expanded online viewing rooms, masterclasses, and workshops.

To protect creators’ intellectual property, Waves Bazaar adopted an easy to use, user first platform while developing a more robust global IP framework. The initiative also promoted international collaboration, already facilitating several co-production deals and major investment discussions. Through programs like Bharat Parv and dedicated mentorship and pitching pathways for students, Waves Bazaar aimed to nurture emerging filmmakers and provide them direct access to leading industry decision-makers.