Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced a bold four-year vision to transform Mumbai’s iconic Film City in Goregaon into a “world-class film ecosystem”, reaffirming the state’s commitment to making India a global powerhouse in content creation. The announcement came during a fireside chat with Padma Shri Akshay Kumar at the 25th edition of FICCI Frames, one of the most influential gatherings of the media and entertainment industry.
Fadnavis acknowledged that the long-discussed Film City project remained unexecuted during his earlier tenure between 2014 and 2019 despite extensive planning. “This time I have decided that we will convert Film City into a world-class film ecosystem,” he said, responding to Akshay Kumar’s direct request to prioritise the long-pending transformation. The Chief Minister confirmed that redevelopment would commence within a year, with the goal of positioning Mumbai as the beating heart of India’s cinematic future.
The event’s tone reflected optimism and pride as Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, revealed that India’s media and entertainment industry has grown from ₹25,000 crore in 2000 to nearly ₹2.5 lakh crore today. He highlighted the sector’s exponential expansion and its role in driving both employment and India’s global cultural influence.
Ayushmann Khurrana, Bollywood star and FICCI Frames Ambassador, described the silver jubilee edition of FICCI Frames as a celebration of unity and progress within the creative industry. “Indian stories and talents are bringing us global recognition, with FICCI at the forefront acting as a catalyst for change,” he remarked. “We have more than a billion stories to tell — and today is our time.”
In a significant nod to regional cinema, Fadnavis also pledged to evolve strategies to connect Gen Z audiences with Marathi films. “You have given me a new mantra — how to connect Gen Z to Marathi films. Now I will work on this,” he told Akshay Kumar, promising greater state support for Marathi cinema’s digital and theatrical resurgence.
The redevelopment of Film City will include advanced production infrastructure such as virtual production studios, AI-enabled facilities, and cutting-edge VFX labs, aligning with global creative technology trends. The site already hosts the Indian Institute of Creative Technology, jointly owned by the Government of India, Government of Maharashtra, and industry bodies such as FICCI.
Expanding on India’s broader entertainment landscape, Sanjay Jaju noted that digital media is growing at twice the rate of India’s GDP, while AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming & Extended Reality) is witnessing 30% annual growth. He also pointed out that Indian content now reaches over 200 countries through global platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and JioStar. Jaju emphasized that “It’s important that this growth comes with great responsibility,” referring to concerns like piracy, misinformation, and equitable revenue sharing.
Anant Goenka, Senior Vice President, FICCI, and Vice Chairman, RPG Group, underscored the significance of the Indian Institute of Creative Technology as a collaborative, industry-driven platform addressing workforce development, innovation, and policy alignment. He noted that FICCI Frames has been a “bridge between government, industry and academia” since the media and entertainment sector received formal industry status in 2001 — a turning point that opened the floodgates for investment, risk-taking, and technological advancement.
Kevin Vaz, Chairman, FICCI Media and Entertainment Committee and CEO, Entertainment, JioStar, remarked that FRAMES has mirrored the Indian entertainment industry’s remarkable journey. “As we enter a new era, our focus must be on enabling sustainable growth through innovation, collaboration and light-touch regulation that empowers creativity,” he said. “With business, technology and storytelling moving together, India’s M&E industry will not just grow — it will lead the world.”
Adding further perspective, Adv. Ashish Babaji Shelar, Minister of Cultural Affairs and Information Technology, Government of Maharashtra, noted that the state’s media and entertainment sector contributes over ₹2 lakh crore to Maharashtra’s GDP. He confirmed the government’s plans for a comprehensive new film policy and the creation of additional film cities across Maharashtra to support growing industry demand.
The inaugural day of FICCI Frames 2025 also featured the session “Media Masterminds: Keynotes by Industry Stalwarts”, with insights from Aroon Purie, Anil Kumar Lahoti, Sandhya Devanathan, and Sam Balsara, each sharing perspectives on evolving audience behavior, digital innovation, and the intersection of creativity with technology. The session concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Ashish Kulkarni, Chief Mentor, FICCI Frames & Frame Your Idea, and Founder of Punnaryug Artvision.
As FICCI Frames marks its 25th year, the vision shared by leaders across government, business, and the creative community underscores one message: India’s entertainment industry is not just growing — it is defining the future of global storytelling.
