Having scaled to 400 million monthly active users in just 10 months, JioHotstar is now placing South India at the centre of its next growth chapter. Under its South Unbound initiative, the platform will invest ₹4,000 crore over five years to build a deeper regional content and creator ecosystem. Across TV and digital, JioStar will invest ₹12,000 crore in the South.
Aggressive Content Expansion
JioHotstar plans 25 new titles and 1,500 hours of fresh South content in the next 12 months. Beyond scale, the initiative invites emerging creators to pitch bold stories. “We want young creators to know we’re open for business,” said Krishnan Kutty, Head of Entertainment Business, South Cluster.
Partnership with Tamil Nadu
A new letter of intent with the Tamil Nadu government aims to strengthen local production, introduce regional-first formats, and expand training through writing labs and mentoring programmes. Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin said the partnership will generate 1,000 direct and 15,000 indirect jobs.
Why the South Leads
South India is JioHotstar’s strongest engine for subscriptions, retention and Connected TV (CTV). Since the JioCinema-Hotstar merger, South viewership has surged 70%, with watch time up 170%. Notably, 80% of Malayalam viewing happens outside Kerala, underscoring nationwide appeal.
Focus on Gen Z & Household Viewing
Contrary to industry belief, Kutty said Gen Z engages deeply with long-form shows when stories reflect their lives. Meanwhile, 45% of southern audiences watch on CTV, making it one of India’s earliest CTV-first markets.
Global Ambitions
International expansion is on the horizon, with plans to take South Indian stories global through originals and localised adaptations.
Growing Slate & Market Presence
JioHotstar is also scaling non-scripted content and launching new originals, premium adaptations, and feature films. In 10 months, new advertisers in the South have grown nearly 60%, while subscribers jumped from 29 million to 300 million.
