JioHotstar targets South India with $445m content investment pledge

JioHotstar’s letter of intent with the government of Tamil Nadu is shown off on stage

Indian streamer JioHotstar is targeting growth in the south of the country, with plans to invest ₹4,000 crore (US$445m) to boost the region’s creative economy over the next five years.

JioHotstar recently signed a letter of intent with the government of Tamil Nadu to strengthen and promote the South Indian state’s creative talent and cultural heritage.

As part of this, JioHotstar will introduce locally made formats and stories set in the region that are designed to appeal beyond geographical boundaries in a country where streaming is fast rivalling cinema at the heart of its dynamic and diverse media ecosystem that spans many different languages and dialects.

JioHotstar programmes across 19 languages and makes most movies and series available in around 10 languages, so stories originating in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada can reach Hindi-speaking audiences and vice versa.

The investment plans were announced at an event dubbed ‘South Unbound’ in Chennai earlier this month, during which JioHotstar also unveiled a line-up of 25 new titles, including the return of series like Kerala Crime Files, Save the Tigers and Heartbeat.

The Good Wife, a Tamil adaptation of the US legal drama series that aired on CBS, produced by Banijay Asia, will also return. The scripted format is notable for having been remade twice in India, with the Hindi version, The Trial: Pyaar Kaanoon Dhokha, also made by Banijay Asia and available on JioHotstar.

Originals on the slate include Cousins & Kalyanams, Moodu Lantharlu, LBW: Love Beyond Wicket, Resort, Secret Stories: Roslin, Lingam and Vikram On Duty.

JioHotstar is working on a regional adaptation of acclaimed Hindi series Aarya, titled Vishakha, as well as Kaattaan, starring Vijay Sethupathi, and Pharma, featuring Nivin Pauly.

With one eye on social media and YouTube, JioHotstar is also introducing creator-focused initiatives such as writing labs for everything from movies to microdramas, mentorship programmes and skill-building workshops aimed at nurturing the next generation of filmmakers, writers, editors and digital storytellers, having already partnered with more than 500 creators.

Formed by the merger between JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar earlier this year, JioHotstar claims to be the world’s second-largest subscription streaming platform, with 300 million paying users, all drawn from India. Netflix, meanwhile, reached 301.6 million subscribers earlier this year, drawing on a global subscriber base.

Launched in February, JioHotstar offers tiered subscription plans designed for different usage patterns and device needs in a country where viewing on connected TVs as well as mobile is surging. Plans range from around ₹149 (US$1.66) for three months, or ₹499 per year, to ₹499 for three months, or ₹1,499 per year. All plans grant access to JioHotstar’s full content library, including movies, original series and live sports.

One topic that was not touched on during the presentation in Chennai was cricket. This came as a report in India’s Economic Times published in the same week claimed JioHotstar parent company JioStar had told the International Cricket Council (ICC) it cannot commit to the remaining two years of its US$3bn four-year (2024-2027) India media rights deal because of “deep financial losses.”

The ICC and JioStar subsequently issued a joint statement refuting the claims. The two said their existing agreement remains “fully in force” and JioStar continues as the ICC’s official media rights partner in India. Any suggestion that JioStar has withdrawn from the agreement is “incorrect,” it added, with JioStar “fully committed” to honouring its contractual obligations in letter and spirit.

Krishnan Kutty, JioHotstar’s head of entertainment for South India, said: “The South has always been a creative powerhouse, and it is a privilege to serve a region that is defining the next era of Indian storytelling. The stories born here are bold, the creators are fearless and the audiences are among the most invested than anywhere in the country.

“Our commitment is to fuel this ecosystem with meaningful, long-term investments in talent, infrastructure and new storytelling formats. In just the last 10 months, over 500 creators, directors and showrunners have joined us each bringing a voice that deserves to be heard across India and beyond.

“We want every creator in the South to dream bigger, build faster and take their stories further than ever before. South Unbound is our promise to elevate this region’s creative force and ensure these stories travel as far as they deserve.”