Kamal Haasan backs JioHotstar’s 4,000 crore push for South creators, says, "Regional is becoming the new national”

A larger Rs 12,000 crore investment, mentioned on stage by Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, refers to the combined JioStar TV and digital investment earmarked for South India. Of this, the digital component remains at Rs 4,000 crore.

The showcase framed this as a turning point not only for the platform, but for the evolution of South Indian storytelling at large. The message was simple: regional content is no longer regional, and the next decade of cultural influence will be written in the languages and landscapes of the South.

Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan was the chief guest of the evening along with Deputy Chief Minister Udaynidhi Stalin.

Kamal Haasan captured this shift in a powerful speech that set the tone for the industry’s next phase. He described the transformation underway and what it means for Tamil creators and viewers.

“With the listener and belong to the people and viewers, screens simply follow them. It is a tectonic shift and makes Jiostars initiative so consequential for Tamil Nadu. Not only for its ambition but for architecture of opportunity it unlocks. In this new world, every Tamil creator, producer and storyteller can reach every Indian on every screen every day,” he said.

Kamal Haasan pointed to a fundamental cultural shift breaking long-standing boundaries.

“Today, regional is becoming the new national and ethnic the new international. Stories born in Madurai, Mallappuram, Mandya, Machilipatnam are no longer regional cinema. They are national cultural events, " he further added.

He illustrated how deeply South narratives have travelled. “A film rooted in coastal Karnataka's folklore like Kantara can electrify the whole country. A Malayalam mystery like Drishyam where an ordinary man outwits extraordinary power crosses borders effortlessly. A Telugu saga like Baahubali or Pushpa becomes everyday vocabulary. From Mumbai to even Malaysia. And for Tamil Nadu, the relentless manhood of Vikram or the tender courage of Amaranth show that what truly travel is not budget but sincerity.”

Kamal Haasan paused to underscore a core principle. “Stories that are rooted yet resonant. These successes affirm a simple truth. Authenticity is a currency that can never be demonetized.”

He tied the present back to Tamil Nadu’s artistic history. “Tamil Nadu has lived this truth for centuries through a continuum of Iyal, Isai, Nadadam and Kuthambalams of Cheran where literature, music, theatre merge into a single cultural heartbeat. Today's creators may use new tools but the instinct remains the same. To be rooted and to be bold in telling your story.”

Kamal Haasan also highlighted the global relevance of regional expression. “This is not just an Indian phenomenon. Korean stories in a regional dialect spoken by 80 million people like Squid Game reach billions around the world. Southern Indian languages speak to an audience of more than 275 million people. The potential is exponentially larger.”

But he added a note of caution: creativity needs infrastructure. “Storytelling cannot thrive on talent alone. Creative economies flourish only when the ecosystem grow together. Creators, technicians, platforms and policy makers moving in one alignment.

That is why leadership matters. Sir Kevin Vaas has given South Unbound its clarity of purpose. Treating the South not as a market but a creative centre of gravity. Sushant Sriram and Thiru Krishnamurthy have helped ground that vision in a platform strategy that expands genuine opportunities for regional creators.”

Also present at the prestigious event were Telugu Superstar Nagarjuna, Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, Bigg Boss Tamil host Vijay Sethupathi and many more.