Key Points

In his remarks at Whistling Woods International here, Gautam Adani said: "If we do not narrate who we are, others will rewrite who we were. That is why we must own our story, not with arrogance, but with authenticity, not as propaganda, but as purpose."

Citing the example of Raj Kapoor's film "Awaara", in which the famous actor in the role of a common man, touched a deep emotion with Soviet audiences in the post-World War II era, he said that Kapoor was India's finest advocate of soft power, building a cultural bond that uplifted Indo-Soviet ties for generations.

Gautam Adani warned against allowing India's stories being told through Western perspectives, as was the case in films like "Gandhi" and "Slumdog Millionaire". "Why must it take Richard Attenborough from across the oceans to tell us Indians the story of our Mahatma?" he questioned.

He lamented that for too long, "India's voice has been firm within our own borders but faint beyond them".

"And in that silence, others have lifted the pen, sketching Bharat through their lenses tinted by bias and shaped by their convenience".

"And nothing reveals this bias more than the British film Slumdog Millionaire, a spectacle that sold Dharavi's poverty for Western applause, turning our pain into foreign award-winning ceremonies," Gautam Adani said.

He pointed out that in contrast, "a Hollywood film like 'Top Gun' is not just selling cinema; it is projecting power".

"Behind the dogfights and heroism lies brilliantly crafted narratives, one that showcases national pride, the might of the US military, and drives exports, an image of American courage to every corner of the world. These films are not just stories. They are strategic instruments designed to shape perception, project US strength, and define US identity," he contended.

Similarly, movies like "Black Hawk Down", "American Sniper", "Rocky", "Apollo 13", and "Rambo" carry the same message of US power, he added.

Gautam Adani also underlined that the power of storytelling can be a double-edged sword. In the right hands, it shapes nations. In the wrong hands, it manipulates minds.

"Today, narratives are no longer confined to cinema; they move markets, influence geopolitics, and rewrite destinies. And this I can say from my personal experience, because I saw firsthand how swiftly a false script could be propagated when, in January 2023, a foreign short seller, Hindenburg Research, launched a calculated attack against us. In a matter of days, over $100 billion of our market value was erased, not because any fundamentals had changed, not because facts had failed, but because a totally false story had been weaponised," he pointed out.

"While we reclaimed the narrative completely and emerged far stronger post this attack, that period revealed a reality we are living in: an era where narratives move markets faster than numbers, where headlines can undo decades of hard work, and where stories of truth trail stories of perception. And this experience taught me that in today's world, truth must also be loudly told. For silence leaves space for others to script your destiny," Gautam Adani said.

He argued that India's failure to own its story has allowed others to profit off caricatures of its reality, and said the country must stop allowing others to define its identity.

He emphasised that in today's world, "truth must also be loudly told. Our weakness has never been imagination; it has been hesitation".

Talking about the future, Gautam Adani said that AI is now the new printing press, the new cinema, and the new diplomacy engine, shaping what the world reads, watches, and believes. "And we must now make AI our greatest multiplier, the new sutradhar weaving the soul of Bharat into the fabric of the world. He outlined how AI will enable instant global releases, real-time storytelling, and hyper-personalised content."

He also urged the young creators to use these tools to tell Bharat's story with authenticity and purpose.

- IANS