JioHotstar to Invest ₹4,000 Crore in South India’s Creative Economy
Chennai: In a landmark move for South India’s media and entertainment industry, JioHotstar announced plans to invest ₹4,000 crore over the next five years to boost the region’s creative economy. The announcement was made at a star-studded event in Chennai attended by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, Padma Bhushan awardee and Member of Parliament Kamal Haasan, and Minister for Tamil Development, Information and Publicity M.P. Saminathan, alongside leading icons from the South film and television industries.
The presence of JioStar executives Sushant Sreeram, Head of SVOD & Chief Marketing Officer, and Krishnan Kutty, Head of Entertainment (South), underscored the platform’s ambition to elevate South Indian storytelling and expand its reach across India and beyond.
Partnership with Tamil Nadu Government
JioHotstar also signed a Letter of Intent with the Government of Tamil Nadu to accelerate the state’s creative and production ecosystem. The partnership will introduce regional-first formats, nurture new-age storytellers, and scale their work globally. Initiatives such as writing labs, mentorship programs, and skill-building workshops will be launched to support emerging filmmakers, writers, editors, and digital creators.
Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin unveiled JioHotstar’s new South lineup of 25 titles, calling the partnership transformative for Tamil Nadu’s creative future. “Art is a powerful force in politics and life; movies can educate and liberate. The contribution of South India has set new benchmarks for Indian cinema. OTT is not replacing cinema—it is expanding it. This partnership will create 1,000 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs, strengthening our economy hand-in-hand with cinema,” he said.
Vision for Regional Storytelling
Sushant Sreeram described JioHotstar’s mission as building “the entertainment future of tomorrow” rooted in India’s storytelling heritage and powered by technology. Krishnan Kutty added, “The South has always been a creative powerhouse. Our commitment is to fuel this ecosystem with long-term investments in talent, infrastructure, and new formats. South Unbound is our promise to ensure these stories travel as far as they deserve.”
Kamal Haasan highlighted the changing dynamics of storytelling: “Stories are truly screen-agnostic. They travel with the viewer. Regional is becoming the new national, and ethnic the new international. Stories born in Madurai, Malappuram, Mandya or Machilipatnam are no longer regional cinema—they are national cultural events.”
Expansive Content Slate
The new slate includes returning franchises such as Kerala Crime Files S3, Save The Tigers S3, Heartbeat S3, and Good Wife S2, alongside fresh originals like Cousins And Kalyanams, Moodu Lantharlu, LBW – Love Beyond Wicket, Resort, Secret Stories: ROSLIN, Lingam, and Vikram On Duty.
Premium offerings feature Vishakha, a Tamil adaptation of the acclaimed Hindi series Aarya, and bold productions like Kaattaan starring Vijay Sethupathi and Pharma featuring Nivin Pauly. New films such as Lucky The Superstar and Kenatha Kaanom further strengthen the lineup.
In unscripted entertainment, JioHotstar continues to dominate with the Bigg Boss universe across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada. The platform is expanding its reality portfolio with formats like Comedy Cooks, Mad for Each Other, and Second Love. In a first, Roadies will debut in Telugu, marking the entry of one of India’s most iconic adventure formats into the South.
Talent and Industry Collaboration
The event brought together South India’s finest talent, including Kamal Haasan, Mohanlal, Nagarjuna, Dhanush, Vijay Sethupathi, and Sivakarthikeyan, alongside celebrated actors such as Nivin Pauly, Aishwarya Rajesh, Kajal Aggarwal, Meena, Priyamani, Nayanthara, Samantha, and Nithya Menen. Emerging artists like Deepa Balu, Anumol, Charukesh, and Kavin also featured prominently.
Acclaimed directors Jeethu Joseph and Ahammed Khabeer, and leading production houses including Banijay Group, Vikatan, DQ Productions, Aashirvad Cinemas, ARKA Media, and Naavi Productions, were present, reflecting the scale and collaborative spirit of the initiative.
