Primary focus should be on financial success: Khushbu

Visakhapatnam: The primary focus should be on financial success to enable philanthropy and contribute to a sustainable India, alleviating poverty and improving lives, actress and Tamil Nadu BJP Vice President Khushbu Sundar emphasised.

Advocating an inclusive society built on secularism, harmony and unity at the Creative Economy Forum South organised in Visakhapatnam, Khushbu delivered a thought-provoking talk on the theme ‘Money, Markets, and IP: Financing the Future of Films and Music’. Emphasising the importance of understanding the economy and personal growth, Khushbu said platforms like Creative Economic Forum (CEF) provide insightful ideas for growth and development of the creative domain.

Hosted by The Hans India and CEF in collaboration with HMTV, the CEF aimed at encouraging industry leaders and policymakers to focus on the growing role of creative industries in India’s economic growth. Moderated by founder of CEF Supriya Suri, the session on ‘Money, Markets, and IP: Financing the Future of Films and Music’ saw Kerala-based actress Cuckoo Parameswaran, filmmaker Satya Reddy and secretary of SIMCA Secretary Sridhar J Swaminathan sharing their thoughts on the theme.

Elaborating the theme, Khushbu said, “Global trade financing, institutional funding, private investments, smart cooperation models and new-age tools are needed to back talent. Films and music are assets that can be structured, valued and scaled.” The maiden edition of Creative Economy Forum South brought leaders and entrepreneurs from diverse fields, shared insights into multiple themes and nudged the communities to explore new ideas by adopting innovative methods and unlearning redundant practices.

Creative Tech Revolution

Bringing experts from animation, film production, Artificial Intelligence and digital media, the first session focused on ‘Creative Tech Revolution: How AI, Gaming, Animation and Digital Media are Redefining Growth’.

As a session moderator-speaker, Professor and Director of The School of Core Engineering GITAM Dr. Pakki Bharani Chandra Kumar highlighted how technology is slowly but surely changing the way one creates or chooses stories.

During the session, Telugu Film Producers Council president KL Damodara Prasad expressed confidence that AI cannot take away human emotions in storytelling but it would certainly help ease lives of certain departments and save time. “Things get pretty fast now,” he opined.

Echoing similar views, co-founder of LBS Studio and co-chair of Andhra Pradesh VFX Animation and Gaming Association Meghana Tirumalasetty opined that AI made the pre-visualisation and VFX parts much effortless. “However, it cannot replace human intervention anywhere in near future,” she opined.

Director of Vishal Peripherals Vikash Hisariya and founder Chief Executive Officer and VFX Supervisor Phantomfx Bejoy Aruptharaj shared their views on the theme.

Handlooms to High Streets

Centred on ‘Handlooms to High Streets: Transforming Heritage into Scalable Businesses’, the following session threw insights into leveraging traditional crafts and design for modern markets. Moderated by product designer of Eco Friends Jameelya Akula, executive director of FDDI-Hyderabad Narsimhugari Tej Lohit Reddy, founder of Sankalpa Art Village Chalapathi Rao shared insights into how labour-intensive Indian handloom sector has emerged into a sought-after and sustainable segment, experiencing a significant renaissance.

Culinary Crossing Borders

Speaking about ‘culinary crossing borders’ in the last session, food expert N Parthasarathy opined, “Food festivals, exhibitions, television shows, and digital platforms draw massive audiences and inspire curiosity, learning, and opportunity.” Chairman of Pioneer Institute of Hotel Management chef Saka Sudha Kumar, corporate executive chef of GITAM Deemed to be University Agatamudi Rupeshwar Rao, co-founder of HETC Foods Pvt Ltd Vavilala Srinivas and Sun International of Tourism and management Principal Rajeshwari laid emphasis on how the food industry is one of the largest employment generators globally and how it has evolved in creation of jobs. They spoke about how cuisines connect cultures and serve as an economic and cultural bridge across countries.

Envisioned as an effective platform to foster collaboration among government, industry and the creative community, placing Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as emerging hubs for creative and cultural enterprises of the country, the four sessions of the forum aided in exploring how creativity, technology and heritage can be transformed into scalable economic opportunities.

Featured by founder of the Creative Economy Forum Supriya Suri, the coveted event in the City of Destiny was held in the presence of managing director of Hyderabad Media House Private Limited K Hanumantha Rao, among others.

Creative Economy Forum Supriya Suri and managing director of Hyderabad Media House Private Limited K. Hanumantha Rao felicitating the speakers at the CEF South organised in Visakhapatnam by The Hans India and CEF