R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, DEC 10
In a landmark moment for India’s creative ecosystem, JioHotstar has signed a Letter of Intent with the Government of Tamil Nadu, committing a massive ₹4,000-crore investment over five years to elevate the state’s cultural economy, empower creators and expand South Indian storytelling to global audiences.
The announcement at a star-studded Chennai event drew some of the South’s biggest icons, underscoring the scale, ambition and cultural significance of the partnership.
- ₹4,000-crore investment to reshape Tamil Nadu’s creative economy over five years
- Letter of Intent with TN Govt to boost regional talent, digital storytellers & cultural expression
- 25-title South slate unveiled; creators set to benefit from labs, mentorships and industry-scale opportunities
- Industry icons hail tie-up as a landmark shift where “regional becomes national and ethnic becomes international”
- Partnership promises 16,000+ direct and indirect jobs, transforming the state’s media future
JioHotstar leaders Sushant Sreeram, Head – SVOD Business & CMO, and Krishnan Kutty, Head – Entertainment (South), highlighted the platform’s mission to amplify rooted narratives, drive talent development and make South India the creative powerhouse of the country.
The Government of Tamil Nadu hailed the collaboration as a transformative catalyst for creativity, capacity-building and employment in the state.
— JioHotstar (@JioHotstar) December 10, 2025
“Art can liberate… this partnership will reshape Tamil Nadu’s creative future” — Udhayanidhi Stalin
Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan launching JioHotstar Suthbound 2025 on Tuesday. PHOTO: R ARIVANANTHAM
Unveiling JioHotstar’s slate of 25 new South originals, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said: “I am delighted to launch this partnership with JioHotstar. Chennai’s tradition and passion for art and culture are ages old, and even Telugu and Malayalam films are made here. Art is a powerful force in politics and life; art can liberate, and movies can educate. We have a history of stories causing social changes, with figures like Annadurai and Karunanidhi instrumental in revolutionary changes in Tamil cinema.
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 recognize 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.”
“JioHotstar started as a dream… rooted in India’s storytelling traditions” — Sushant Sreeram
Offering the platform’s perspective, Sushant Sreeram said: “JioHotstar started as a dream. To build the entertainment future of tomorrow, one that’s rooted in the rich storytelling heritage of our great country and its many facets, powered by cutting-edge technology, and serve as the default destination for Indian entertainment everywhere.
The resplendent storytelling heritage of South India motivates us to keep championing rich, authentic narratives while delivering greater variety, accessibility and experiences tailored to every viewer’s tastes and dreams.”
“South Unbound is our promise” — Krishnan Kutty
Krishnan Kutty, Head – Entertainment (South), added: “The South has always been a creative powerhouse… the stories born here are bold, the creators fearless and the audiences deeply invested.
Our commitment is meaningful, long-term investment in talent, infrastructure and new storytelling formats. In the last ten months alone, over 500 creators, directors and showrunners have joined us, each bringing a voice that deserves to be heard across India and beyond.
South Unbound is our promise to elevate this region’s creative force and ensure these stories travel as far as they deserve.”
“Stories are screen-agnostic… regional is the new national” — Kamal Haasan
MP Kamal Haasan described the partnership as a game-changer for India’s cultural future: “Today, stories are truly screen-agnostic. They travel with the viewer. The audience has become the platform. Stories do not belong to any screen; they belong to people. It is this tectonic shift that makes JioHotstar’s initiative consequential for Tamil Nadu.
In this new world, every Tamil creator, producer, and storyteller can reach every Indian, on every screen, every day. Today, regional is becoming the new national, and ethnic the new international.”
A Landmark Content Slate for the South
JioHotstar’s new lineup spans originals, franchises, movies and reality formats, including:
- Kerala Crime Files S3, Save The Tigers S3, Heartbeat S3, Good Wife S2
- New originals including Cousins And Kalyanams, LBW – Love Beyond Wicket, Resort, Lingam, Vikram On Duty, Secret Stories: ROSLIN
- A Tamil adaptation of Aarya titled Vishakha
- High-profile features like Kaattaan (Vijay Sethupathi) and Pharma (Nivin Pauly)
- New films including Lucky The Superstar and Kenatha Kaanom
The slate also expands JioHotstar’s dominance in unscripted formats with new cultural and adventure-driven shows — including the first-ever Telugu edition of Roadies.
The event brought together the biggest names across South Indian cinema — from Kamal Haasan, Mohanlal, Nagarjuna and Dhanush to rising creators, top directors including Jeethu Joseph, and studios such as Banijay Group, Vikatan, DQ Productions, Aashirvad Cinemas, ARKA Media and more.
