Streaming service JioHotstar on Tuesday announced an investment of Rs 4,000 crore over the next five years to strengthen South India’s creative economy, unveiling a 25-title slate as part of a major push for regional content.
The company presented its South Unbound vision at a high-profile event in Chennai.
Sushant Sreeram, Head – SVOD Business & Chief Marketing Officer at JioStar, also formalised a Letter of Intent with the Government of Tamil Nadu in the presence of the Chief Minister M K Stalin.
Calling South India the heartbeat of Indian storytelling, Sreeram said the move underscored the platform’s long-term commitment to local creators.
“JioHotstar started as a dream — to build entertainment rooted in India’s storytelling heritage and powered by cutting-edge technology. The resplendent storytelling traditions of the South motivate us to keep championing authentic, rooted narratives while offering greater accessibility and choices for every viewer,” he said.
The event was attended by Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, veteran actor and MP Kamal Haasan, senior state officials, and leading stars and filmmakers from across the southern film industries.
Deputy Chief Minister Stalin said the partnership would generate 1,000 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs.
“Cinema in Tamil Nadu has always been a force for social change. OTT is not replacing cinema; it is expanding it. Today, a filmmaker in Madurai or Salem can upload a story and reach audiences across the world. The cultural and economic impact of this partnership will be massive,” he added.
Haasan said India’s media and entertainment industry was undergoing a fundamental transformation, driven increasingly by audience behaviour.
“We gather at a moment when India’s media and entertainment is not merely growing, it is transforming. For the first time, this shift is not driven by device or format, but by the audience itself,” he said, adding that storytelling today is screen agnostic.
“Regional is becoming the new national, and ethnic the new international. Stories born in Madurai, Malappuram or Machilipatnam are no longer regional cinema; they are national cultural events,” Haasan said, citing films such as Kantara, Drishyam, Baahubali, Pushpa and Vikram.
The event was also attended by actors Mohanlal, Nagarjuna, Vijay Sethupathi, Priyamani, Aishwarya Rajesh and others, along with directors Jeethu Joseph and Ahammed Khabeer.
The streamer’s content slate under the South Unbound initiative includes sequels to established franchises, new long-format series, films, adaptations and non-fiction formats.
The Tamil slate is led by Bigg Boss Tamil, now hosted by Vijay Sethupathi, and the legal drama Good Wife S2 starring Priyamani. Other titles include relationship drama LBW – Love Beyond Wicket; family comedy Cousins and Kalyanams; psychological drama Resort; and Heartbeat S3, featuring Anumol, Karthik Kumar and Deepa Balu.
Additional Tamil offerings include action drama Lingam; multigenerational love story Love Always; the marquee title Kaattaan starring Vijay Sethupathi and Milind Soman; and non-fiction relationship series Second Love.
In Telugu, the lineup includes Bigg Boss Telugu hosted by Nagarjuna, along with originals such as Moodu Lantharlu starring Aishwarya Rajesh; police procedural Vikram on Duty; mystical relationship drama Varam; and comedy-drama Save The Tigers S3 featuring Chaitanya Krishna.
Other Telugu titles include Vishakha, an adaptation of Aarya led by Kajal Aggarwal; the non-fiction relationship format Mad for Each Other; and the Telugu debut of adventure reality franchise Roadies.
From Malayalam, JioHotstar announced Bigg Boss Malayalam hosted by Mohanlal; Kerala Crime Files S3 featuring Aju Varghese; mystery drama Secret Stories: Roslin; Anali; 1000 Babies S2 starring Neena Gupta and Rahman; and drama Pharma featuring Nivin Pauly.
The Kannada slate includes Bigg Boss Kannada hosted by Kichcha Sudeepa; nostalgic friendship drama Batchmates; and food-and-humour-based non-fiction series Comedy Cooks.
The platform also announced new films including Lucky The Superstar featuring GV Prakash, Anaswara Rajan and Meghna Sumesh, and Kenatha Kaanom.