Fireside Chat, Interview, Conference Presentation
Influence to Shape Platforms for Good | Asia Summit 2025
- Bhumi Dhaniya plans to continue using her platform to challenge stigma in India by refusing roles that do not align with her trajectory of portraying ambitious women who desire love, success, and money, while aiming to provide representation that validates these traits for other girls.
- The actress expects her future work to focus on impactful storytelling with a purpose to change mindsets and uplift communities, specifically through experimenting with genres like romantic comedies while centering on unconventional life choices such as remaining unmarried and independent.
- Ross Butler intends to spend more time in Southeast Asia over the coming years to encourage investment in local entertainment education, writing, directing, and cinematography, with the goal of achieving representation comparable to South Korea's industry success.
- Butler plans to produce and co-produce films with Korean companies to bring Southeast Asian stories to a global audience, anticipating that cross-cultural collaborations and breaking down barriers will correct negative perceptions of the region and enable complex narratives like a proposed Silk Road show involving Rome, India, and Iran.
- The actor expects to influence Asian parents in Southeast Asia to support their children in pursuing creative careers rather than solely medical or business paths, believing this fosters the confidence and adaptability necessary for success across any industry.
- Bhumi Dhaniya anticipates her crowdfunding campaign for flood victims in Jammu and Kashmir will deliver support spanning trauma relief, mental health services, home rebuilding, and essential supplies such as food and tents, with information on how to contribute available on her LinkedIn and Instagram profiles.
- Both individuals expect social media to serve as a double-edged sword that offers unlimited information but also creates unrealistic standards, prompting strategies like setting timers to prevent "doom scrolling" and sharing personal vulnerabilities to normalize human experience.
- Dhaniya plans to use her social media presence to help young adults detach self-worth from internet validation by shifting the focus to impact, while also leveraging networks to mobilize strangers for disaster relief efforts, including arranging medicine and hospital beds during global crises.
- The host expects the ongoing event series to continue bridging leaders and academics in conversations about utilizing platforms for good, while anticipating that the featured guests will share further details on their philanthropic foundations and work with former motion picture academy leadership to fund Asian and Asian American stories.
- Butler anticipates that the diverse cultures, mythology, and underutilized stories of Southeast Asia hold vast potential for collaboration, and he plans to continue meeting with production partners to develop scripts and projects that reflect this unique regional wealth.