At the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 in Mumbai, actor Vijay Deverakonda sparked excitement with a bold vision for Indian cinema: a dream collaboration between South superstar Allu Arjun and Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan. The Kingdom actor shared his thoughts during a high-powered panel discussion alongside Kareena Kapoor and Karan Johar.
As conversations turned toward the future of Indian cinema, Vijay passionately addressed the power of pan-India collaborations. Referring to the massive box office success of Pushpa 2 and Shah Rukh Khan’s recent blockbuster—likely Jawan—Deverakonda highlighted the potential impact of uniting these two cinematic giants.
“Shah Rukh sir’s film collected around ₹800 to ₹1000 crore, and Allu Arjun’s film did ₹1000 crore,” he said. “Imagine if they collaborate. When you bring a star from the South and a star from the North—when you bring two stars from India—you just unite the country.”
The Liger actor emphasized that growth, not division, should be the goal. According to him, collaboration is the key to elevating Indian cinema on the global stage. “Our only ambition is to grow. If we want to take up more space and get more eyeballs, it’s through more collaborations,” he added.
The WAVES 2025 summit, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, brought together some of India’s most influential figures from the film and media industry. With appearances from Rajinikanth, Deepika Padukone, Akshay Kumar, Aamir Khan, and Shah Rukh Khan himself, the event is being hailed as a landmark for cross-regional unity in Indian entertainment.
On Day 1, Allu Arjun also took the stage, speaking about his career evolution and the breaking of cinematic taboos, while Day 2 continued with powerful sessions including a highly anticipated conversation with Aamir Khan. Vijay’s call for unity through cinema echoes the larger theme of the summit—bridging divides through creative storytelling.