At WAVES 2025 on Friday, May 2, producer Dinesh Vijan spoke passionately about the significance of telling stories rooted in Indian culture. As a panellist at the event, he emphasized that local stories resonate most powerfully when filmmakers embrace their own cultural heritage. He cited the post-pandemic era as a turning point for Indian cinema, where the focus has shifted toward narratives that speak to the everyday person.
Dinesh discussed how audiences in metropolitan cities often wait to see how a film performs before heading to theatres, unlike viewers in smaller towns who eagerly watch new releases. He used Stree 2 and Chhaava as examples of films that reflect deep cultural connections and have found enthusiastic support from regional audiences.
Highlighting a broader shift, Dinesh stated that India is no longer aspiring to Western narratives. Instead, audiences crave stories about their own roots. He remarked that filmmakers had, at some point, stopped exploring local culture, but movies like Stree and Chhaava have changed that trend.
He also gave an update on Mahavatar, calling it Maddock Films’ biggest production yet. Starring Vicky Kaushal as Chiranjeevi Parashurama, the film is slated for a Christmas 2026 release and aims to deliver a world-class cinematic experience.
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