Day 1 of the WAVES Summit 2025 began on a powerful note on May 1 at Mumbai's Jio World Centre, with a compelling panel titled "Braving the Odds, Scripting a New Narrative". Featuring global voices from film, fashion, and sport, the discussion brought together Israeli actress Rona-Lee Shimon, Italian model and cancer survivor Bianca Balti, and former German footballer Ariane Hingst. Each shared their personal battles and how they've used adversity to drive change and reshape the narratives within their industries.
Ariane Hingst: 'I didn't even know there was a difference between boys or girls playing football'
Ariane Hingst during WAVES Summit 2025 | Image Courtesy: PIB
Former world champion footballer Ariane Hingst opened up about her early years in the sport, where she was unaware to gender barriers because of her deep love for the game. "I didn't even know there was a difference between boys or girls playing football. All I knew was I loved the sport, so I did it," she said.
Today, Hingst is a vocal advocate for equal pay and visibility in women’s sports. "If it's football, go out and play football and be paid for what you're good at. And that's not only football; it's all around all businesses that are out there. Just because you're female, you're not limited. So go out there, enjoy what you do, do it good and be paid as you deserve."
She also drew attention to the lack of media coverage and proper infrastructure for women’s football compared to men's.
Bianca Balti: 'You think you're gonna die, and that's what I felt'
Bianca Balti during WAVES Summit 2025 | Image Courtesy: PIB
Model and survivor Bianca Balti spoke candidly about her cancer diagnosis and how it changed her perspective. "It's funny because so many people get a diagnosis of cancer, and yet when they tell you you have cancer, you think you're gonna die, and that's what I felt."
Post-recovery, Balti returned to the industry with a renewed purpose. She pointed out the persistent gender pay gap in modelling and the disproportionate representation in media. However, she believes social media is a powerful tool for reform. It gives a voice to those often unheard and helps challenge long-standing inequalities.
Rona-Lee Shimon: 'Create the spaces for us'
Rona-Lee Shimon during WAVES Summit 2025 | Image Courtesy: PIB
Actress Rona-Lee Shimon brought focus to the entertainment industry and the urgent need for women to create their own space within it. She stressed the importance of unity and courage in pushing for change.
"I think coming together and unifying as women and understanding what is important to us and what we need to see out there in the world and starting to make the steps in order to get there... Create the spaces for us, whether it's the jobs that we want or the roles that we want in cinema, and not be afraid."
She also highlighted how social media enables women to share their stories directly with the world and build communities of support and action.
