Gautam Adani Urges India to Reclaim Its Narrative: The Power of Storytelling in Shaping National Identity

Gautam Adani emphasized that in today's world, "truth must also be loudly told".

New Delhi:

"If we do not narrate who we are, others will rewrite who we were," Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani stated on Friday, urging India to take control of its global narrative through cinema, storytelling, and emerging technologies.

Speaking at Whistling Woods International, Adani stressed that India must cease allowing foreign voices to define its identity. "Silence is not humility, it is surrender," he declared, referencing films like Gandhi and Slumdog Millionaire as examples of India's stories being portrayed through Western perspectives.

He contended that India's failure to own its narrative has permitted others to profit from caricatures of its reality, insisting that the country must stop letting others define its identity.

Adani also cautioned about the dual nature of storytelling power in an era where narratives "move markets faster than numbers." Referring to the 2023 Hindenburg report that temporarily erased over USD 100 billion from Adani Group's market value, he described the incident as a stark reminder of how a fabricated narrative, amplified globally, can erase decades of work.

"In a matter of days, over USD 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 weaponized," he stated, describing the short-seller report as a "calculated attack" on his ports-to-energy conglomerate.

The Adani group, he noted, has fully reclaimed its narrative and emerged significantly stronger after this attack. The episode highlighted an era "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," he added.

"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." He referenced American films like Top Gun, noting that the movie "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 explained, adding movies like Independence Day, Black Hawk Down, American Sniper, Rocky, Apollo 13, and Rambo to the list.

Each global blockbuster projected not only America's might but also its moral authority, demonstrating that while soldiers may conquer land, storytellers conquer mindshare, he observed.

"For too long, India's voice has been firm within our own borders but faint beyond them," he stated. "And in that silence, others have lifted the pen, sketching Bharat through their lenses tinted by bias and shaped by their convenience." Citing films like Slumdog Millionaire and Gandhi, Adani questioned why Indian stories continue to be told through foreign perspectives. "Our sorrow has become their spectacle," he remarked, calling for an end to the cultural outsourcing of Indian identity.

He emphasized that in today's world, "truth must also be loudly told".

"Our weakness has never been imagination; it has been hesitation," he noted.

Adani warned that storytelling power can be double-edged. "In the right hands, it shapes nations. In the wrong hands, it manipulates minds." In his comprehensive and passionate address, Adani honored cinematic legends Raj Kapoor and Guru Dutt, praised film's role in nation-building, and stressed that every project begins with a story - not steel.

Looking toward the future, Adani outlined how AI will transform cinema - enabling instant global releases, real-time storytelling, and hyper-personalized content.

He encouraged young creators to utilize these tools to tell Bharat's story with authenticity and purpose.

Cinema powered by AI-predicting will make content creation significantly cheaper, personalized, and real-time. He predicted a future of "immortal actors", AI-human creative studios, and interactive films functioning as e-commerce platforms.

"This is the world you are stepping into," Adani told students, cautioning that such creative power brings responsibility.

"If we do not narrate who we are, others will rewrite who we were," he stated, adding, "May your generation give Bharat her voice, her song, and her stories back".

Looking ahead, Adani envisioned a futuristic cinema landscape revolutionized by AI-featuring instant multilingual releases, AI-composed music, real-time storytelling, and hyper-personalized films. "The next great unlocking of human potential won't come from what we discover, but from what we dare to create," he concluded.

(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)