At WAVES 2025, Deverakonda Calls For Bollywood-South Blockbuster Collaboration

Actor Vijay Deverakonda, speaking at the WAVES 2025 conference in a session moderated by filmmaker Karan Johar, said he dreams of a collaboration between Shah Rukh Khan and Allu Arjun.

Calling the idea a potential unifier for the nation, he remarked, “When you bring a star from the South and a star from the North, when you bring two stars from India, you unite the country.”

Deverakonda cited the massive box office successes of both actors-Shah Rukh Khan’s recent blockbuster and Allu Arjun’s 1000-crore hit, as proof of their influence and reach.

“Now imagine they collaborate!” he exclaimed, to enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Deverakonda At WAVES 2025: Let’s Unite Indian Cinema

Addressing the much-discussed North vs South cinema debate, Deverakonda called it ‘unproductive’ and urged the industry to focus on collaboration rather than division.

He acknowledged that while South Indian cinema has recently gained national attention, the narrative should now move towards partnerships that amplify Indian storytelling on a global stage.

“It’s great for TRPs and headlines,” he admitted, “but not the most productive for cinema. If we have to take on the giants of the world, we need to unite.”

Kareena Kapoor Recalls Meeting Steven Spielberg

Also present during the session, Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan shared a surprising encounter from her past, meeting director Steven Spielberg.

The meeting occurred soon after the release of 3 Idiots, a film in which she played a key role alongside Aamir Khan, R Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi.

“I was in a restaurant somewhere abroad, and Spielberg happened to be there. He came up to me and asked, Are you the girl in that very famous Indian film about three students?” Kareena recalled, adding that he told her he loved the movie.

Hollywood Prospects For Kareena Kapoor

When asked whether she had considered working in Hollywood, Kareena said it had not happened ‘organically’ but didn’t rule it out.

“Films are my passion, they run in my veins,” she said. “Times are changing. Maybe a Hindi-English film will come along. After all, even Spielberg is watching our movies!”

WAVES 2025: A Global Celebration Of Creativity

The WAVES 2025 summit, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, has drawn over 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, 350 startups, and more than 300 companies from over 90 countries.

The four-day event, running from May 1 to May 4, is a platform for discussions across film, technology, business, and innovation.

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