**FICCI FRAMES 2025: Celebrating 25 Years of India’s Media & Entertainment Industry**
The 25th edition of FICCI FRAMES, India’s premier Media and Entertainment (M&E) event, commenced on Tuesday at The Fairmont hotel near Sahar Airport. Bringing together over 3,000 participants from the film, television, digital, and creative sectors—including government officials, business leaders, and artists—the event celebrates the vibrant ecosystem driving India’s creative economy.
### Theme and Overview
This year’s theme, **“RISE Together – Reimagine, Innovate, Strengthen, Empower,”** reflects the industry’s commitment to collaboration and growth. The silver jubilee edition is aptly subtitled **“Framing 25 Years of Indian M&E: A Silver Jubilee of Vision, Voices & Creativity,”** paying tribute to the imagination, innovation, and industry that has transformed India’s media landscape on the global stage.
### Inaugural Session Highlights
The opening day featured an array of distinguished speakers from government and industry. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis engaged in an insightful fireside chat with Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, focusing on Maharashtra’s pivotal role in shaping India’s film and entertainment ecosystem.
During the conversation, CM Fadnavis acknowledged that the ambitious Film City project remained unexecuted during his previous tenure (2014-2019) despite thorough planning. However, he announced firm plans to revamp Film City into a world-class film ecosystem within the year. This redevelopment will include state-of-the-art studios equipped for emerging technologies such as virtual production, artificial intelligence, and advanced visual effects.
The site also houses the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT), a unique institution with 52% ownership by industry bodies including FICCI, and the remaining shares held by the Maharashtra and central governments.
Advocate Ashish Shelar, Minister of Cultural Affairs and Information Technology for Maharashtra, highlighted the sector’s significant contribution—over ₹2 lakh crore—to the state’s GDP. He emphasized the government’s introduction of a comprehensive film policy and plans to develop new film cities across Maharashtra to meet growing industry demand.
### Government Commitment and Industry Perspectives
Union Minister of State L. Murugan and Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, expressed the government’s ongoing dedication to fostering India’s creative economy. They underscored the importance of innovative policies and the adoption of new technologies to support creators and businesses in media and entertainment.
Sanjay Jaju reflected on the sector’s evolution:
*“The industry creates more than 8 million jobs directly and many more indirectly. When FICCI FRAMES started 25 years ago, the demand was for this sector to be recognized as an industry. Today, it is not just an industry but an entire ecosystem of dreams, bringing together art, technology, and above all, aspirations.”*
### Industry Insights and Key Partnerships
The event featured notable industry leaders, including:
– Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman of TRAI, who spoke about the expanding broadcasting landscape.
– Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President & Head – India and South East Asia at Meta, shared valuable insights on digital platforms.
– Kevin Vaz, Chairman of FICCI’s M&E Committee and CEO – Entertainment at JioStar.
– Director Shoojit Sirkar, Ashwini Iyer Tiwari, and Siddharth Roy Kapur participated in various sessions, enriching conversations on content creation and industry trends.
One of the day’s standout announcements was a strategic partnership between FICCI’s Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICT) and Netflix. This collaboration aims to strengthen India’s AVGC sector—covering animation, visual effects, gaming, comics, and extended reality—by enhancing skills development and fostering the creation of cutting-edge content through advanced technologies.
Actor Ayushmann Khurrana, this year’s FRAMES Ambassador, added a creative dimension to the dialogue by reflecting on the evolution of India’s cultural narrative and its increasing global influence.
### Looking Ahead: Day 2 and Beyond
Day 2 promises an equally packed schedule with exciting sessions, including a conversation between television icon Ekta Kapoor and Union Minister Smriti Irani, celebrating 25 years of the beloved show *Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (KSBKBT)*. Additional fireside chats and panel discussions will feature celebrated actors such as Anil Kapoor and Huma Qureshi, among others.
FICCI FRAMES 2025 continues to be a landmark event, highlighting India’s growing strengths, innovations, and aspirations in the global media and entertainment arena. Join us as we shape the future of the industry together.
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*Stay tuned for more updates on FICCI FRAMES 2025 and comprehensive coverage of the convention.*
https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/ficci-frames-2025-launches-media-revolution
