MUMBAI: JioStar Entertainment CEO & FICCI Media & Entertainment committee chairman Kevin Vaz has highlighted the transformative growth of south India's media and entertainment sector, emphasising its evolution from regional prominence to global recognition.
Speaking at the Media and Entertainment Business Conclave, Vaz noted that south Indian cinema led the post-pandemic box office revival, citing blockbusters such as RRR, KGF-2, and Kantara. The success continued into 2024, with Pushpa 2 making significant inroads in the Hindi market, contributing 20% of Hindi box office collections through its dubbed version.
The region's creative output has garnered international acclaim, including RRR's historic Academy Award win in 2023 and the recognition of Kannada short film Sunflowers Were The First Ones to Know at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
Television remains a crucial platform for South Indian content, commanding over 30 per cent of India's media and entertainment market share. Vaz pointed to successful content adaptations, such as a leading Star Plus show based on the Tamil programme Siragiddika Aasaai, demonstrating the increasing travelability of Southern content to national audiences.
Contrary to global trends, Vaz emphasised that television continues to maintain strong youth engagement in India, attributing this to its affordability and accessibility. He characterised India as an "AND market rather than OR", suggesting that television and digital platforms can coexist and thrive simultaneously.
Looking ahead, Vaz identified the upcoming Waves forum as a significant initiative to drive innovation and growth in the sector. He emphasised the need for content creators and platforms to balance creative freedom with social responsibility, particularly in the digital space where social media has redefined audience engagement with audio-visual content.
The executive's remarks underscore the growing influence of south Indian media content and its potential to shape the future of Indian entertainment on the global stage.
