Mumbai, Oct 10, 2025 – At Whistling Woods International, Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani argued that India must lead its own global story. He said the country’s voice is too quiet outside its borders and that “soft power” through cinema and new technology can change that.
Adani told the audience that if India doesn’t narrate what it means, other countries will rewrite the story. He urged authenticity, not propaganda, and used the famous 1950s film Awaara as an example. “Raj Kapoor connected deeply with Soviet audiences and built a cultural bridge,” he said, calling Kapoor “India’s finest advocate of soft power.”
He warned against letting Western filmmakers decide how India is seen. “Why did we need a British director like Richard Attenborough to tell us the story of Gandhi?” Adani asked. He noted that films such as Gandhi and Slumdog Millionaire show elements of India’s past and present, but from an outside perspective. He argued that Slumdog sold poverty as a spectacle for Western applause, turning real pain into foreign awards.
In contrast, he pointed to Hollywood hits like Top Gun, Black Hawk Down, American Sniper, Rocky, Apollo 13, and Rambo as examples of movies that serve a dual purpose: they entertain but also project national pride and power. “These stories are strategic tools that shape perception and convey strength,” he said.
Adani also warned that storytelling can be double‑edged. When used responsibly, it can build nations; when misused, it manipulates minds. He cited the 2023 Hindenburg Research attack on his companies. “In a few days, more than $100 billion of market value was wiped out simply because of a false story,” he said. He added that the incident showed how narratives can move markets faster than data.
The Adani chairman stressed that truth must be loudly told. “Silence leaves space for others to script your destiny,” he warned. He called for India to stop letting caricatures of its reality profit others. “Our weakness has never been imagination; it has been hesitation.”
Looking ahead, Adani said artificial intelligence is now the new printing press and new cinema. AI can instantly release stories worldwide and create hyper‑personalised content. “We need to use AI as a multiplier, weaving the soul of Bharat into the fabric of the world,” he said. He encouraged young creators to harness these tools to tell India’s story in an authentic, purpose‑driven way.
The message was clear: India’s soft power, its cinema, and its storytelling must be owned by Indians themselves. By embracing AI and genuine narratives, the country can shape how it is seen on the global stage.
Source: ianslive
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