Aamir Khan Urges Investment In Theatres To Boost Indian Cinema At WAVES 2025

May 2, 2025: On Day 2 of the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, Bollywood icon Aamir Khan raised a critical issue impacting the Indian film industry — the lack of adequate cinema screens across the country. Speaking during a panel discussion titled “Studios of the Future: Putting India on World Studio Map” at the Jio Audio Visual Convention Centre (JACC) in Mumbai, Khan stressed that India’s massive population is underserved when it comes to access to theatres.

Citing comparative figures, the Lagaan star pointed out a startling gap: “In India, we have around 10,000 screens. In the US, which has one-third our population, there are about 40,000 screens. And China has 90,000 screens compared to our 10,000. Even within those 10,000, roughly half are located in South India, which means only about 5,000 are available for Hindi films,” Khan noted.

He added that despite India being recognized globally as a cinema-loving country, the theatrical footfall for even the biggest blockbusters remains shockingly low. “Our biggest hits over the years, no matter the language, have had a theatrical footfall of around three crore people. That’s only 2% of the entire population,” he emphasized.

Khan used the data to underline a larger issue — without proper infrastructure, India’s entertainment potential will remain untapped. “There are districts and vast areas in this country that don’t have a single theatre. I strongly believe we need to invest in building more theatres — and different types of theatres — to truly bring cinema to every corner of India,” he urged.

The actor’s comments come at a time when India’s audiovisual industry is rapidly evolving with digital platforms and immersive technologies, yet the basic access to cinema halls remains a bottleneck for theatrical business growth.

WAVES 2025 has emerged as a major global platform, with over 90 countries participating and more than 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, 300+ companies, and 350+ startups in attendance. The summit includes 42 plenary sessions, 39 breakout sessions, and 32 masterclasses across sectors like broadcasting, AVGC-XR, infotainment, and digital media.

Khan’s powerful appeal is likely to reignite conversations around decentralizing entertainment infrastructure and bringing cinema closer to rural and small-town audiences.