Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi Pays Tribute To Raj Kapoor, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Tapan Sinha, Mohammed Rafi On Their Centenary

During the 117th episode of Mann Ki Baat, PM Narendra Modi addressed the nation and paid tribute to Indian cinema industry icons who would have turned 100 years old in 2024. Modi praised Raj Kapoor, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Mohammed Rafi and Tapan Sinha's contribution to the cinema of the country, acknowledging their unmatched art and how it helped India's culture gain recognition on the global stage.

PM Modi pays tribute to Indian cinema legends on their centenary 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Raj Kapoor introduced the world to the soft power of India through films. Rafi Sahab's voice had that magic that touched every heart. Be it devotional songs or romantic songs, sad songs, he brought every emotion alive with his voice. His greatness can be gauged from the fact that the young generation listens to his songs with the same passion. This is the identity of timeless art. Akkineni Nageswara Rao Garu has taken Telugu cinema to new heights. His films presented Indian traditions and values very well. Tapan Sinha's films gave a new vision to society. His films had a message of social consciousness and national unity. Lives of these personalities are an inspiration for our entire film industry.”

India to hold first-ever WAVES

PM Modi also shared that India will hold its first-ever entertainment summit next year. He said that preparation for it is underway and invited every creative expert to be a part of WAVES. "Next year we will for the first time organise the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit  (WAVES). You must have heard about DAVOS, where global economists assemble. Similarly, in WAVES personalities from the world's media and entertainment industry, and people from the creative industry will come to India," PM Modi said during the latest episode of Mann Ki Baat.

He added, "This summit is a major step towards making India a global content creation hub. I feel proud to say that the young creators of our country are enthusiastically participating in the preparation of this summit. As we are moving towards a $5 trillion economy, our creator economy is bringing in new energy. I urge the entire entertainment and creative industry of India, whether you are a young creator or an established artist, whether you are associated with Bollywood or regional cinema, TV industry professional or animation expert, whether you are associated with the gaming industry or are an entertainment technology innovator, you are all welcome to be part of WAVES."