Brainstorming at the NDTV Solutions Summit

Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, superstar Shah Rukh Khan, veteran actress Waheeda Rehman and Oscar-award winning composer A R Rahman spoke about leveraging the global impact of Indian cinema.

Amitabh Bachchan began the discussion by commenting how a panel discussion on cinema was a positive change from a time when cinema was a dirty word for “people from good homes.”

"Now even people from other countries other than the expatriates watch Indian cinema," he said.

Veteran actress Waheeda Rehman shared that coming from a Muslim family and from the South, she scared when she was offered films, but her parents said, "No, things are changing."

Today, she remarked, film stars get a lot of love and respect, but because they are popular, they have a responsibility to deliver good movies and a good message

Amitabh Bachchan said if actors are important enough for their dialogues to be remembered, why can't they be important enough to represent India on official platforms?

A R Rahman believed that the Indian film industry is an alternative entertainment for what Hollywood is doing.

Talking about how women are portrayed in Indian cinema today, Mr Bachchan said, "We don't always degrade women in our films. Waheedaji, my wife Jaya, Meena Kumari, Nutan have all starred in films that portray strong women. At least 80% people working in the movies are women these days. "

Giving her opinion on representation of women in Indian cinema, Ms Rehman said that now we are more broad minded and she is happy with what is happening these days.

Amitabh Bachchan said Hindi music and dance were always criticized and ridiculed by the west but due to Indian cinema, it is the one factor that fascinated them the most.

Amitabh Bachchan's wife and veteran actress Jaya Bachchan pointed out from the audience that India has music for all occasions. It is a part of our culture.

A R Rahman felt that India needs to develop stage and theatre, on the lines of Broadway.

Shah Rukh Khan, who joined the panel late, said, India has a very strong star system but lacks collaboration. Now there is art and commercial cinema. Bottomline is to tell a story. The industry needs to develop the habit of collaborating with each other.

He also pointed out that star system is an integral part of globalisation of Indian cinema.

Amitabh Bachchan felt that the film industry needs to blend western sensibilities into Indian cinema a little more. He also pointed out that Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar are largely responsible for bringing Bollywood to the global stage.

Talking about the so-called ‘100 crore club', Shah Rukh said, "We like to compartmentalize, it makes it easy. It a very ‘un-unique' and easy compartmentalization. It takes away all creativity."

On Indian cinema going global, Shah Rukh said that some westerners like Indian films because of the emotional connect. Warner and Sony come make the movies here but allow the industry to distribute it globally. There has to be a give and take.

Amitabh Bachchan felt second or third generation expatriates are more aligned to Indian cinema than to the western films and as these generations grow so will the reach and viewership.

Ahead - Session 5: Governance: Towards cleaner politics in India

Congress' Manish Tiwari, BJP's Piyush Goyal, Trinamool Congress' Derek O'Brien and Aam Aadmi Party's Prashant Bhushan gave their opinion on moving towards cleaner politics in India.

Manish Tewari said that Indian politics has been enriched over the last 40 years and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has done spectacularly well, much better than their own expectations. He also added that Congress should not have extended support to Aam Aadmi Party and responsibility of providing Delhi a government is on Bhartiya Janata Party.

However, Prashant Bhushan pointed out that AAP has made it clear as to where they stand.

BJP leader Piyush Goyal pointed out that the time is right to have a strong government at the Centre. "Coalitions tend to fail," he added.

Derek O'Brien said, "To use a cricket analogy, there's the Congress, BJP and Aam Aadmi Party and the Trinamool Congress is happy playing third umpire."

He also pointed that the Trinamool Congress is the only party since Independence which broke away from the Congress and are still in business.

From the audience, author Vikram Seth posed a question related to Supreme Court's verdict on acticle 377.

"The Congress has come out very strongly on article 377, much to my surprise, saying the Supreme Court's judgment is wrong. The AAP has made it's stand clear. Piyush Goyal and Derek O'Brien have made their personal views clear. But there is no word from leaders like Narendra Modi. Why has the BJP not taken a stand," he asked.

Replying to Vikram Seth's question, Piyush Goyal said that Narendra Modi doesn't have to comment on every judgment of the Supreme Court.

On a lighter note, Derek O'Brien quipped that he feels like a pauper between two billionaires. He said, Trinamool Congress ask corporates to buy Mamata Banerjee's paintings and that's how they raise money.

Ahead - Session 4: Art, Music & Culture: How do we harness India's soft power as a globally strategic asset?

Renowned author Vikram Seth, sculptor Anish Kapoor, conductor Zubin Mehta, photographer Dayanita Singh and director of the Humanities Centre at Harvard University Homi K Bhabha discuss about how to harness India's soft power as a globally strategic asset?

Anish Kapoor began the discussion saying it is not 'Indianness' that defines an artist's work.

"As a young artist, didn't like my work being labelled Indian. I fought against it hard because I don't think that being viewed as from an exotic background helps the creative process," he said.

Conductor Zubin Mehta said that it is a disgrace that there is no concert hall in Delhi for Indian music.

He also pointed out that unfortunately, the music he interprets has been written by Europeans and there's little Indianness he can inject into it apart from the yoga that helps him do breathing exercises!

The audience clapped when author Vikram Seth said Indian artists are happy to be claimed but not happy to be disclaimed like artist MF Husain.

Photographer Dayanita Singh pointed out that she always seen nationality-based art as a burden.

Harvard University's Homi Bhabha said that if we want soft power, then we have to have the infrastructure for it.

He also pointed out that there is a need of proper liberal arts and humanities education globally.

From the audience, artist Anjolie Ela Menon said that the real minority in India are not the Muslims or the Christians but the artists.

Installation artist Subodh Gupta from the audience said India destroys, it doesn't make art.

As part of the audience, Prithvi theatre's Sanjana Kapoor said that of all artists, theatre-wallahs are the lowest of the low. But the country needs to demand that systems also work for them and media supports the fraternity.

Zubin Mehta ended the discussion in a positive note, saying, this country has an infinite number of talented people, who cannot read and write but produce crafts that are admired all over the world.

Ahead - Session 3: The Essence of India : What makes India different and special and how do we protect the essence of India?

The Essence of India : What makes India different and special and how do we protect the essence of India?

Former additional solicitor-general Fali S Nariman in conversation with Infosys founder and Executive Chairman N R Narayana Murthy, Cipla chief YK Hamied, Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, distinguished Indian Constitutional jurist Fali S Nariman and former union minister anf BJP leader Arun Shourie brainstorm at the NDTV Solutions Summit.

Talking on the subject, Amartya Sen said that there is no point in blaming the institutions as India continues to have some people who are privileged and some who are not and criminalization of homosexuality is a violation of minority rights.

Throwing light on the Supreme Court verdict on Section 377, constitutional jurist Fali S Nariman said that everyone assumes that verdict of two judges represents the Supreme Court. Constitutional bench of at least five should handle important matters.

Talking about secularism, Arun Shourie says in India, we should shift to pluralism because secularism as a word has been so prostituted.

IT czar Narayana Murthy posed a pertinent point during the discussion, saying that every Indian needs to be excited by the future.

Cipla chief YK Hamied pointed out that the essence of India depends on the health of the country.

Conductor Zubin Mehta joined the panel from the audience and asked the question, How are we going to convince the farmer to send his son and daughter to school? He says if every Indian can read and write and think in rational terms, then we will achieve greatness.

Artist Anjolie Ela Menon did not agree with Zubin Mehta's focus on education point and says, "If you have education without even the glimmer of a hope of job at the end of it then you are sitting on a time bomb."

Politician and columnist Sudheendra Kulkarni's question to the panelists was - "The essence of India should be discussed in the context of ageless India, not India since 1947. At what age did Muslims in India become a minority? Why are we not able to go beyond this 'minority-isation' of our communities?"

Ahead - Session 2: The Internet: How can it strengthen democracy?

Omar Abdullah, Naina Lal Kidwai, Swapan Dasgupta, Rajan Anandan and Ashutosh Varshney discuss how the Internet can strengthen democracy.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah feels the Internet has reversed the flow of communication. Politicians now have to listen to the Aam Junta who have now begun talking back to them.

Leading columnist Swapan Das Gupta feels the newness of media has allowed a lot of people to vent their anger, yet, according to him the nature of the interaction is still imperfect.

Leading columnist Ashutosh Varshney begs to differ and says Rural India has not been penetrated by the Internet.

Google India head Rajan Anandan says India is adding 3 to 4 million internet users in a month. A Large number of Indians doing research about political parties and various issues of national importance.

Suhel Seth says Internet is a tool but it certainly cannot be used to strengthen democracy. Electoral reforms alone can strengthen democracy.

However, Shekhar Gupta feels that anonymity has brought out the worst in human beings. Because of Internet, many "scoundrels" have tried to out victims' identity as in the Tarun Tejpal case.Internet, according to him, Internet is an instrument of democracy but it is also one of trouble.

Internet delivers our democratic rights, an important one and she disagrees that it should be regulated too much. She feels over regulation can lead to losing what is good.

Ahead - Session 1: Innovation, Science & Technology: How can software, technology and science help solve many of India's key problems?

Can science and technology help solve India's problems? Scientists brainstorm at the NDTV Solutions Sumit.

Nobel laureate and biologist Venkatraman Ramakrishnan believes it is important for India to invest in molecular biology.

Agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan (Right) says India needs to focus on a second green revolution.

Bharatratna scientist CNR Rao (centre) says to compete with the rest of the world, India has to create good institutions where young people can work

Tata Consultancy Services CEO Natarajan Chandrasekaran says most of India's problems, including corruption, can be solved with technology.

Eminent author and activist Vikram Seth poses his tricky question to the panel of scientists.

Renowned environmentalist Dr Pachauri asked the panel of scientists the reason for not investing enough in research and development.