New Delhi: At the 77th Republic Day parade, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in collaboration with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, presented a special tableau under the theme Bharat Gatha. It marked a historic moment for Indian cinema on the national stage, as this was the first time cinema found a spot in the tableaux showcasing India’s cultural heritage, economic prowess, development and military might.
It was the first time a film director represented Indian cinema at the ceremonial event, watched by millions of Indians. Curated under Bharat Gatha: Shruti, Kriti, Drishti, the tableau presents cinema as a tradition that has evolved from oral and performative storytelling and folklore and epics to a powerful medium with sights on global dominion.
The tableau opened with the chant of Aum/Om, symbolising the origin of sound, knowledge, and creation.
It was decorated with antique film equipment, including a massive golden movie camera and film reels along the sides.
“Bhansali is one director who has been making movies glorifying the Indian aesthetic and culture. So it is apt that he has designed the tableau. It also marks a big shift—from channels playing patriotic Indian movies on Republic Day, to a whole tableau that celebrates Indian cinema during the parade,” said costume designer Sheetal Sharma, who has worked with Bhansali in films like Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022) and created costumes for Chhaava (2025) and Emergency (2025).
India’s soft power
The first segment, Shruti, depicted India’s rich oral traditions, showing a guru imparting wisdom to disciples under a peepal tree, with flowing sound-wave motifs illustrating the transmission of knowledge through the spoken word.
It also features Lord Ganesha inscribing the Mahabharata, showcasing the importance of authorship and the preservation of knowledge, highlighting Kriti.
Meanwhile, the main part of the tableau had a ‘Box Office’ sign and a ‘Coming Soon’ marquee. It was designed like an old, grand, golden movie theatre exterior with elaborate pillars.
Performers in vibrant traditional orange and red costumes danced atop and beside the tableau, to the theme song sung by Shreya Ghoshal.
“This feels like a long-overdue and meaningful moment. Indian cinema has existed for over a century, yet its formal recognition at a platform like the Republic Day parade signals a shift in how the country is choosing to define its cultural identity. Cinema is finally being acknowledged not just as popular entertainment, but as a serious cultural and soft-power force,” Priyanka Chandra, publicist and founder of Mulberry Media.
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Showcasing the orange economy
The Instagram page of Bhansali Productions shared a carousel post on Instagram, explaining the concept and elements of the tableau.
“The golden box office symbolises the hon’ble Prime minister’s clarion call to take Indian stories to global audiences,” read the post.
The tableau is the latest addition to the push for ‘orange economy’ that PM Modi spoke of during the WAVES summit in May last year. The ‘orange economy’, also known as the creative economy, refers to economic activities that leverage creativity, culture, and intellectual property to generate wealth and jobs.
“What stood out for me at the summit was how deliberately inclusive the vision was: it wasn’t about Hindi cinema alone, but about Indian cinema as a whole. From regional industries to technicians, creators, and conversations around craft and policy, it reflected the ecosystem in its entirety,” said Chandra, who was actively involved with the summit.
(Edited by Ratan Priya)