JioHotstar 25 New South Projects: 4000Cr but No Buzz?

JioHotstar has announced 25 new South Indian projects as part of its major regional expansion plan. The lineup includes reality shows, movies and web series across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.

Reports say JioHotstar has invested more than 4,000 crores in this move. The aim is to boost regional storytelling and support creative labs in the South market.

The platform revealed these projects at a grand launch event on Tuesday. Many Kollywood celebrities and the Honorable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu were present at the event.

Among the 25 projects, Bigg Boss appears in all four languages. Besides mini budget films and series, the list also features several strong web series and movies with noted performers.

Tamil:
Lingan (Fiction)
Good Wife Season 2 (Fiction)
Lucky The Superstar (Fiction)
Heartbeat Season 3 (Fiction)
LBW – Love Beyond Wicket (Fiction)
Bigg Boss Tamil (Reality)
Resort (Fiction)
Love Always (Fiction)
Second Love (Non-Fiction)

Telugu:
Vandra (Fiction)
Bigg Boss Telugu (Reality)
Save the Tiger Season 3 (Fiction)
Beatenotes (Fiction)
Moody Lankrith (Fiction)
Lakshana (Fiction)

Malayalam:
Secret Stories: ROSLIN (Fiction)
1000 Babies Season 2 (Fiction)
Roadies (Malayalam edition) (Non-Fiction)
Bigg Boss Malayalam (Reality)
Mad for Each Other (Non-Fiction)
Pharma (Fiction)
Aapti (Fiction)
Kerala Crime Files Season 3 (Fiction)
Cousins and Kalyaanam (Fiction)

Kannada:
South Star Chef Challenge
Bigg Boss Kannada OTT Edition
Namma Ooru Hero – Web Series

Some notable projects, like Vijay Sethupathi’s Kaatan directed by Manikandan, have already generated strong anticipation among Kollywood viewers.

Sequels to several hit web series were also announced. These include Heart Beat Season 3, Priyamani’s Good Wife Season 2, Save the Tiger Season 3, Kerala Crime Files Season 3 and 1000 Babies Season 2.

Other notable films include Lucky The Superstar starring GV Prakash Kumar and Anaswara Rajan, and Kinatha Kanom featuring Yogi Babu.

However, many people feel the projects seem B grade. They believe JioHotstar should have chosen stronger titles if it truly aims to grow its regional presence.

It remains to be seen how JioHotstar’s Unbound slate progresses. Time will show which projects succeed and whether the platform can become a major OTT force in South India.