The World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025), held at the iconic Jio World Centre in Mumbai from 1 to 4 May, witnessed Pix-Elated 3.0, the third edition of PHDCCI’s (PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a trade and industry body of in India) flagship AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming and comics) festival, co-curated by Charuvi Design Labs (CDL).
The event brought together global voices in entertainment, animation, and storytelling. Pix-Elated was launched in 2023 by PHDCCI AVGC Committee chair & CDL founder Charuvi Agrawal, Citrus Ink Studios founder Vrinda Sood and PHDCCI assistant secretary general Shalini S Sharma. It has become a platform for creative exchange, industry policy dialogue, and original IP advocacy in India’s animation ecosystem.
At Waves 2025, they organised two sessions featuring acclaimed international speakers and high-level stakeholders. The discussion titled ‘IPs Transcending Borders, Cultures & Platforms’ spotlighted how culturally rooted stories can evolve into globally successful animated IPs.
The eminent panelists were Dwarf Studios executive producer Noriko Matsumoto (Domo-kun), Happy Tree Friends writer and director Ken Pontac (Sonic the Hedgehog), Aau’s Song (Star Wars: Visions Volume 2) animator & co-director Nadia Darries, TV Asahi International Business director Makiko Inaba and Hornbill Studios business development SVP Richard Lewis. The discussion was moderated by CDL director and executive producer Aditya Singhal.
The other session ‘Bridging the Gap- Commissioning Content & Government Support for AVGC Creators’ tried to throw some light on the lack of commissioning ecosystems for original IPs in the local industry, despite India’s critical role in global VFX and animation for blockbusters like Avatar, Dune, and The Lion King. The discussion brought together filmmaker & IP creator Agrawal, Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi, U.S. Consulate Mumbai consul general Mike Hankey and JETRO India chief director general . Takashi Suzuki. The session was moderated by Sharma.
With powerful dialogues, cross-cultural insights, and policy-level engagement, Pix-Elated 3.0 at WAVES 2025 reasserted their commitment to nurturing India’s AVGC ecosystem and positioning it as a global powerhouse for original animated storytelling.
