12 Kolkata: At a time when the film industry faces immense competition from endless visual content on the web, not limited to reels and shorts, actor-producer Prosenjit Chatterjee said, "Times have changed, but cinema will never die." He spoke at the CII Purbo Bharat Big Picture Summit, themed "Culturally Rooted, Creatively Global", in Kolkata on Saturday. Several luminaries from Tollywood, like Goutam Ghose, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Rituparna Sengupta, Bickram Ghose, Firdausul Hasan and Samik Roy Chowdhury attended the event.
In his address, governor C V Ananda Bose underscored the immense potential east and north-east India hold for the growth of the creative economy sector in the country. "From the sculptors of Konark and Mahabalipuram to the weavers of Varanasi and Shantiniketan, creativity has defined India's ethos," Bose said.
A key highlight of the summit was the launch of the CII Media & Entertainment Sector Report 2025, titled "A New Vision for the Creative Economy". It highlighted the opportunities and challenges present in the creative economy.
Director Goutam Ghose, co-chair of the summit, emphasised the importance of nurturing the cultural ecology in the region. Prosenjit Chatterjee said, "Times have changed, but cinema will never die. It is going to be tougher. The audience today has the choice of watching movies in different languages from all over the world. Stars will have their power, but it is not just about stars. Content is becoming very important, and a star has to be a part of that content," he said.
Shashwat Goenka, vice-chair of RPSG Group and summit chair, highlighted the sector's 10%-12% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) and said the creative economy was a crucial pillar of economic growth. "The future belongs to young visionaries. Let us support and uplift entrepreneurs and start-ups who will redefine creativity and innovation," he said.