OTT is expanding cinema, not replacing it: Udhayanidhi Stalin

Chennai: OTT platforms in India are enlarging the film ecosystem instead of replacing theatrical releases, Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin said on Tuesday, pitching streaming as a new growth lever for cinema and creators from smaller centres.

Addressing JioHotstar's South Unbound event in Chennai, Udhayanidhi said filmmakers in cities such as Madurai and Salem now have a direct route to global audiences via streaming services. He also witnessed the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI) between JioHotstar and the Tamil Nadu government to promote the state’s creative talent and cultural heritage.

"I am delighted to launch this partnership with JioHotstar. Chennai’s tradition and passion for art and culture are centuries old, and even Telugu and Malayalam films are produced here," Udhayanidhi said.

"Art is a powerful force in politics and life. It can liberate, and movies can educate. Tamil cinema has a history of driving social change, with leaders like Annadurai and Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) instrumental in revolutionary shifts," he added.

He said South India continues to shape the benchmarks for Indian cinema, both in theatres and on streaming platforms. "Content is king, and we have a long way to go. 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 audiences globally," he said.

Linking the state’s economic agenda to this shift, Udhayanidhi said the JioHotstar partnership would generate 1,000 direct and 15,000 indirect jobs in Tamil Nadu. "Our government is committed to building a strong economy hand-in-hand with cinema," he added.

Speaking at the same event, multihyphenate and MP Kamal Haasan said India’s media and entertainment sector is undergoing a structural transformation, not just incremental growth.

"For the first time, this shift is defined by the audience, not the device. Stories have always travelled with people; today, they travel with the viewer. The audience has become the platform, and that changes the relationship between the medium and the message forever," he said.

Referring to the LoI, Haasan said it represents a Rs 12,000-crore commitment to South Indian storytelling, with over Rs 4,000 crore earmarked for the region over the next five years.

"Stories never belonged to any screen; they travel with the listener and belong to the people. Screens simply follow them. This tectonic shift makes JioHotstar’s initiative consequential for Tamil Nadu—not just for its ambition, but for the opportunities it unlocks," Haasan added.

He pointed out that regional narratives from the South are increasingly seen as national and even global cultural products. "Stories born in Madurai, Malappuram, Mandya, or Machilipatnam are no longer regional cinema—they are national cultural events," he observed.

JioHotstar Head of Entertainment (South), Krishnan Kutty, said the South market has long been a powerhouse of ideas and storytelling craft.

"The stories born here are bold, the creators fearless, and the audiences highly engaged. South Unbound is our promise to elevate this region’s creative force," he said.

Kutty said that in the past 10 months, more than 500 creators and directors have joined JioHotstar. The platform now plans to launch regional-first formats and new-age stories, alongside initiatives such as writing labs, mentorship programmes and skill-building workshops aimed at filmmakers, writers, editors and digital storytellers.

The event was attended by Information Minister M P Saminathan and leading film stars, including Telugu superstar Nagarjuna Akkineni, Malayalam cinema icon Mohanlal, Nivin Pauly and Vijay Sethupathi.