JioHotstar announces ₹4,000-crore investment plan in southern India; unveils 25 new titles Latest Entertainment News

JioHotstar, a streaming platform that has tasted tremendous success in southern India, recently announced its upcoming line-up of South Indian titles and investment plans in the region. The streamer made the announcement at South Unbound, a star-studded event in Chennai.

The event was graced by high-profile dignitaries such as Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, actor and Member of Parliament Kamal Haasan, Minister of Information and Publicity of Tamil Nadu MP Saminathan, and top executives of JioHotstar. Also present were the three superstar hosts of the television show Bigg Boss: Mohanlal, Nagarjuna, and Vijay Sethupathi, along with several other actors, filmmakers and technicians from the South film industries.

As a highlight of the event, JioHotstar announced its plans to invest ₹4,000 crore over the next five years to boost creative economy in South India. The streamer had recently signed a Letter of Intent with the Government of Tamil Nadu to establish a partnership to accelerate the State’s creative and production ecosystem. As part of this, the streamer said that it will aim to strengthen the State’s creative economy “by introducing regional-first formats, new-age stories and storytellers scaling their work beyond geographical boundaries.”

In a press note, the platform also promised initiatives such as “writing labs, mentorship programs and skill-building workshops aimed at nurturing the next generation of filmmakers, writers, editors and digital storytellers.” Speaking at the event, Udhayanidhi said that the contribution of South India has created a new benchmark for Indian cinema. “Content is the king, and we have a long way to go. We recognise that OTT is not replacing cinema; it is expanding it. Today, everyone has a voice — a filmmaker in Madurai or Salem can upload a story and reach an audience across the world. The partnership with JioHotstar will have a massive impact: it will create 1,000 direct jobs and 15,000 indirect jobs. Our government is committed to building a strong economy hand-in-hand with cinema,” he said.

Kamal Haasan said that the nation’s media and entertainment sector is seeing a shift, which, for the first ever, “is not driven by a device or a format, but by the audience itself.” He added that stories are ‘screen-agnostic.’ “Stories always travel with the listener and belong to people. Screens simply follow them. It is this tectonic shift that makes JioHotstar’s initiative so consequential for Tamil Nadu — not only for its ambition, but for the architecture of opportunity it unlocks. In this new world, every Tamil creator, producer, and storyteller can reach every Indian, on every screen, every day.”

He added that regional is now becoming national, and that ethnic is the new international. “Stories born in Madurai, Malappuram, Mandya or Machilipatnam are no longer ‘regional cinema’; they are national cultural events.”

The event saw the streamer unveil its exciting slate of films, shows and non-fiction titles in Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam. Tamil titles in the line-up include the third season of the crowd-favourite drama series Heartbeat, and the second season of the legal drama series Good Wife, starring Priyamani.

Other Tamil series titles announced at the event include the coming-of-age sports drama LBW – Love Beyond Wicket, starring Vikranth; underdog story Resort, starring YouTuber Vijay and Thalaivasal Vijay; sports action thriller Lingam, starring Kathir and Divya Bharathi; a K-drama adaptation Love Always, starring Jaya Prakash, Jayasudha and Gowri Kishan; and the much-awaited Vijay Sethupathi starrer Kaattaan.

Kenatha Kaanom, starring Yogi Babu, and Lucky The Superstar, starring GV Prakash Kumar and Anaswara Rajan, are the two feature films announced in Tamil. When it comes to non-fiction, the streamer unveiled a new reality series hosted by Ramya Krishnan titled Second Love.

Mohanlal, who was recently bestowed with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award at the 71st National Film Awards, was felicitated by Vijay Sethupathi and Nagarjuna. During his speech, Mohanlal called Bigg Boss a show full of positivity, “one that carries a lot of entertainment, human emotion and discipline.”

“It can inspire, entertain and bring people together. I was initially hesitant about being a part of the show, but later, I realised that it’s an addiction. It’s an escape for the audience. Most of the contestants who come out of the show prosper, and so in 100 days, you are becoming a star,” added the Thudarum star.

Nagarjuna echoed Mohanlal’s statement, stating that in Bigg Boss, the contestants are the kings. “I also congratulate JioHotstar for the growth it has exhibited over the years. They said that they are investing more in all the southern States and are planning to do many workshops; I believe it is a fantastic opportunity for young talent who want to come up,” he added.

Vijay Sethupathi said that Bigg Boss helps understand human beings better. “While watching the show, both contestants and the audience become residents of that house. Moreover, Bigg Boss is like a mirror for me. I see myself in all the contestants. I was also hesitant about hosting the show, but after hosting Season 8, I realised that it’s a great book on human beings. More than answers, I like questions, and Bigg Boss raises a lot of questions towards me,” he added.

Published – December 10, 2025 06:16 pm IST