Hyderabad, September 3rd , 2026: WV Connect 2026 – Weddings & Films Edition, Asia’s largest B2B wedding summit, opened in Hyderabad today, bringing together leading names from the wedding, film, hospitality, events, tourism and creative industries to explore the growing convergence between cinema and luxury weddings.
The fourth edition of WV Connect is being held in the city now at Arth Resorts, Moinabad, with more than 800 delegates from over 20 cities participating in three days of business networking, knowledge sessions, masterclasses, experiential events and industry conversations. It will conclude on Thursday evening.
The summit was formally inaugurated on Wednesday by collectively Kumar Raja, Founder, Design by Raja and Strategic Partner, WV Connect; Rituraj Khanna, Founder, Q Events and President, WV Connect; Sabu Cyril, renowned Indian Film Production Designer; Sabbas Joseph, Co-founder, Wizcraft Group; and Dakshina Moorthi N Naidu, CEO & Founder, Wedding Vows and WV Connect.
Speaking at the summit, delivering a key note address Sabbas Joseph, Co-founder, Wizcraft Group, described Hyderabad as the emerging new capital of Indian cinema and said the city had become an important point of attention for the global film industry.
“Hyderabad is the new capital of cinema. India’s last Oscar came from this city. The city has given us creative talents such as Sabu Cyril and institutions such as Ramoji Film City. Today, Hollywood is looking at Telugu cinema,” he said.
He also highlighted the fascinating relationship between weddings and cinema, observing that weddings existed long before cinema, but cinema has profoundly influenced the way Indians celebrate weddings.
“Weddings were there much before cinema, which is only about 100 years old. Cinema inspires weddings and weddings inspire cinema. The big screen made us dream bigger. Palaces became backdrops for weddings and film sets became inspiration for wedding mandaps. Even a Shah Rukh Khan performance has become a wedding category of its own,” he said.
According to Joseph, both industries are deeply connected through emotion, storytelling, entertainment and spectacle.
Four-time National Award-winning production designer Sabu Cyril, known for creating the visual worlds of films including Baahubali and RRR, spoke about his journey into production design and the importance of imagination, technology and perseverance.
Recalling how Baahubali transformed his professional recognition, he said the film gave him tremendous visibility, while his interest in technology and engineering continues to influence his approach to production design.
“I am a Mechanical Engineer, but art took over. I like doing high-tech things and I am fascinated by science and technology,” he said.
Sharing a message for young creative professionals, Cyril said challenges should be treated as opportunities.
“Tough things never last, but tough people do. When things get tough, the tough get going. Keep yourself inspired. Turn problems into solutions. Every problem has a solution,” he said.
The idea behind the “Weddings & Films” edition originated from a visit to Ramoji Film City, according to Dakshina Moorthi N Naidu, CEO & Founder, Wedding Vows and WV Connect.
“When I visited Ramoji Film City and saw the Mahishmati Kingdom set, I began thinking about the way Ramoji Film City was already bringing together cinema and weddings. It made me wonder why the two industries could not formally come together. I shared the thought with friends and gradually the idea for Weddings & Films took shape,” he said.
The connection is becoming increasingly visible. Luxury weddings today feature elaborate production design, cinematic lighting, large-scale sets, choreography, visual effects and sophisticated cinematography. At the same time, film professionals are finding new opportunities in the wedding and events industry.
The wedding and film industries may appear different, but they share many of the same creative ingredients—storytelling, emotion, visual spectacle, design, technology and craftsmanship.
Production designers, cinematographers, lighting technicians, choreographers, costume designers, photographers, fabricators, sound professionals and digital creators increasingly work across both industries.
The summit is examining how this existing crossover can evolve into a more organised business ecosystem.
Film production designers can explore destination weddings; film studios and locations can emerge as wedding venues; cinema technicians can find year-round opportunities in weddings and events; while wedding professionals can adopt cinematic techniques such as immersive storytelling, projection mapping, advanced lighting, virtual production and AI-powered experiences.
According to the organisers, Hyderabad was a natural choice for the Weddings & Films edition because it uniquely combines a powerful film-production ecosystem with a rapidly growing luxury and destination wedding market.
The city is home to Ramoji Film City, one of the world’s largest integrated film studio complexes, as well as major hospitality and event infrastructure capable of hosting large-scale weddings.
Kumar Raja, Founder & Creative Director, Design by Raja, said Hyderabad had a unique advantage as a wedding destination.
“We are fortunate to be born in Hyderabad. The city has all the grand venues and infrastructure required for destination weddings,” he said.
The summit is also examining the business potential of the two industries. India’s wedding industry is estimated at around ₹3.86 lakh crore, while the country’s film and OTT industry is estimated at approximately ₹1.97 lakh crore.
Together, these represent a massive creative and experience-driven economic ecosystem, even though the two industries have traditionally operated with limited formal B2B interaction.
WV Connect seeks to create a structured platform for that interaction—bringing together wedding planners, filmmakers, production designers, hospitality companies, tourism organisations, technology providers, artists, event companies, photographers and creative entrepreneurs.
The summit’s central proposition is that the crossover is no longer theoretical.
Film sets are inspiring wedding mandaps. Wedding cinematography is increasingly resembling filmmaking. Film production techniques are entering luxury celebrations. Film locations are being explored as wedding destinations. And creative professionals are moving between the two industries.
WV Connect 2026 aims to turn this organic crossover into new business relationships, collaborations and opportunities.
The summit’s programme includes conference sessions, WedX talks, curated B2B meetings, an exhibition, panel discussions, practical masterclasses and networking opportunities, culminating in the WV Awards 2026 Gala Night.
A special cultural evening will feature Srinivasa Kalyanam, the ceremonial celebration of the divine wedding of Lord Srinivasa and Goddess Padmavati, performed by priests specially invited from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, followed by Bhajan Clubbing, combining devotional music with a contemporary musical experience.
The programme reflects the larger philosophy of WV Connect—bringing together the traditional, contemporary, creative, technological and commercial dimensions of India’s wedding industry.
Among the prominent personalities participating in WV Connect 2026 are Sabu Cyril, K.K. Senthil Kumar, Sabbas Joseph, Kumar Raja, Rituraj Khanna, Lauren Rodgers, Ruchi Pant, Aditya Motwane, Rahul Kumar, Maggi Kewlani, Aarti Mattoo, Punam Chadha Joseph, Photriya Venky, Gauri Chadha, Reema Thakkar Tiwari, Parul Sharma Wallbrown, Tarun Agarwal, Vishnu Vardhan Indur, Ashok Kumar Koralath, Sri Koundinya, Laadi Sangeet Maker and Sandeep Molugu, among others.
Dakshina Moorthi N Naidu said the objective of WV Connect was not merely to celebrate the similarities between cinema and weddings, but to explore what the two industries could build together.
“Weddings and films have always shared the same ingredients—storytelling, emotion, visual spectacle and exceptional craftsmanship. What has been missing is a common business platform. WV Connect 2026 brings these two ecosystems together not merely to celebrate their similarities, but to explore what they can create and build together,” he said.
With “Weddings & Films”, WV Connect 2026 is positioning Hyderabad as a meeting point between India’s enormous wedding economy and its globally recognised film and creative ecosystem—where the film set meets the wedding set, cinema meets celebration, and creative talent discovers a new marketplace.
