JioHotstar Announces 25 New Titles To Boosts South Indian Content, Kamal Haasan Backs It

Streaming service JioHotstar announced on Tuesday that it will invest Rs 4,000 crore over the next five years to support South India’s creative economy, revealing a lineup of 25 new titles as part of a big

push for regional content. In one of the biggest announcements by an Indian streaming platform for the southern market, the company presented its ‘South Unbound’ vision at a major event in Chennai.

Sushant Sreeram, Head of SVOD Business and Chief Marketing Officer at JioStar, said this investment is part of a larger partnership with the Tamil Nadu government. ‘Earlier today, JioHotstar signed a Letter of Intent with the Government of Tamil Nadu in the presence of Chief Minister M K Stalin. This shows our shared commitment to invest in talent, expand infrastructure, and build a creative economy in the South that is ready for the future.’ He added, ‘As part of this vision, JioHotstar will invest Rs 4,000 crore to support creators, strengthen the production ecosystem, and create a pipeline of stories for India and the world.’

Calling South India the ‘heartbeat of Indian storytelling,’ Sreeram said this investment shows the platform’s long-term commitment to local creators. ‘JioHotstar started as a dream—to build entertainment based on India’s storytelling traditions and powered by modern technology. The rich storytelling of the South inspires us to keep supporting authentic stories and give viewers more choices,’ he said.

The event was attended by Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, veteran actor and MP Kamal Haasan, senior state officials, and top stars and filmmakers from the South. Deputy CM Stalin said the partnership will create ‘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. Now, a filmmaker in Madurai or Salem can upload a story and reach audiences worldwide. The cultural and economic impact of this partnership will be huge,’ he said.

Haasan said Indian media and entertainment is going through a big change, driven not just by technology but by the audience. ‘We are at a time when India’s media and entertainment is not just growing, it is changing. For the first time, this change is driven by the audience, not just by devices or formats,’ he said, adding that storytelling today is ‘screen agnostic.’ ‘Regional is becoming the new national, and ethnic the new international. Stories from Madurai, Malappuram, or Machilipatnam are no longer just regional cinema; they are national cultural events,’ Haasan said, giving examples like ‘Kantara,’ ‘Drishyam,’ ‘Baahubali,’ ‘Pushpa,’ and Tamil hits like ‘Vikram.’

The event was also attended by Mohanlal, Nagarjuna, Vijay Sethupathi, Priyamani, Aishwarya Rajesh, and others, along with directors Jeethu Joseph and Ahammed Khabeer. The streamer’s new content slate, part of its ‘South Unbound’ initiative, includes sequels to hit franchises, new long-format shows, films, adaptations, and reality shows.

The Tamil lineup features a mix of returning favorites and new originals, led by ‘Bigg Boss Tamil’ now hosted by Vijay Sethupathi, and ‘Good Wife S2,’ a legal drama starring Priyamani. Other shows include ‘LBW – Love Beyond Wicket,’ a relationship drama; the family comedy ‘Cousins and Kalyanams’; the psychological drama ‘Resort’; and ‘Heartbeat S3,’ with Anumol, Karthik Kumar, and Deepa Balu. Other Tamil titles include ‘Lingam,’ an action drama; ‘Love Always,’ a multigenerational love story; the main title ‘Kaattaan’ starring Vijay Sethupathi and Milind Soman; and ‘Second Love,’ a non-fiction relationship series.

In Telugu, the platform brings back ‘Bigg Boss Telugu’ hosted by Nagarjuna, along with new originals like ‘Moodu Lantharlu’ starring Aishwarya Rajesh; the police drama ‘Vikram on Duty’; ‘Varam,’ a mystical relationship drama; and the comedy-drama ‘Save The Tigers S3’ with Chaitanya Krishna. The slate also includes ‘Vishakha,’ the Telugu version of ‘Aarya’ led by Kajal Aggarwal; the relationship-based non-fiction show ‘Mad for Each Other’; and the Telugu debut of the adventure franchise ‘Roadies.’

In Malayalam, the platform brings back ‘Bigg Boss Malayalam’ hosted by Mohanlal; ‘Kerala Crime Files S3’ with Aju Varghese; the mystery drama ‘Secret Stories: Roslin’; ‘Anali’; ‘1000 Babies S2’ with Neena Gupta and Rahman; and the drama ‘Pharma’ starring Nivin Pauly.

The Kannada lineup includes ‘Bigg Boss Kannada’ hosted by Kichcha Sudeepa; ‘Batchmates,’ a friendship drama; and the food and comedy show ‘Comedy Cooks.’ Across languages, the platform also announced new films like ‘Lucky The Superstar’ with GV Prakash, Anaswara Rajan, and Meghna Sumesh, and ‘Kenatha Kaanom,’ aimed at a wide audience.