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AVGC fastest-growing sector in South Indian M&E industry; TV leads by share: CII
Mumbai: The South Indian media and entertainment (M&E) sector, with a market value of around Rs 70,000 crore and a share of 40 per cent, will play a critical role in assisting India to follow a sustainable path to becoming the world’s largest credible marketplace, with M&E contributing two to three per cent to the country’s GDP. The findings were revealed in the CII Southern Region’s report titled ‘Regional is the New National – Way Forward for the South Indian Media & Entertainment Industry.’
Television continues to occupy a major 45 per cent of the South India M&E market share. By the end of 2022, it is expected to be worth Rs 33,100 crore, with a 10 per cent compound annual growth rate. The south Indian TV sector had a market size of Rs 36,000 crore in 2019, which dropped to Rs 29,000 crore in 2020 because of the Covid-19 epidemic, but recovered to Rs 30,100 crore in 2021. It is expected to grow even more in the coming years, reaching Ra 33,100 crore in 2022 and surpassing 2019 by 2024.
Subscriptions continue to be the most lucrative source of revenue for television, followed by advertising and programming. According to industry estimates, TV stations in South India earned Rs 25,200 crore in subscriptions, Rs 9,360 crore in advertising, and Rs 1,440 crore in programming in 2019. Due to the pandemic’s impact, these figures fell in 2020 to Rs 20,300 crore for subscriptions, Rs 7,540 crore for advertising, and Rs 1,160 crore for content-based revenue.
AVGC is the fastest growing sector in the South Indian M&E industry, with a CAGR of 30 per cent. It is expected to account for up to 10 per cent of the overall M&E sector by 2030. The budget allocation for VFX in high-budget films is expected to rise to 30-35 per cent by 2023, up from 25-30 per cent currently.
Establishment of a state-of-the-art 30,000 Sq ft Centre of Excellence in Whitefield, Bengaluru, and the construction of Image Towers in Hyderabad, which is a 600,000 square feet dedicated space for the AVGC-XR sector, has contributed to this growth.
More than half of the films released in the last year were in one of the four south Indian languages. The South Indian film industry has also produced some of the most successful box office hits in recent years. It is expected to be worth Rs 6050 crore by the end of 2022, with a compound annual growth rate of 13 per cent.
Southern films have performed exceptionally well on OTT platforms, and they are among the most watched films in Indian cinema. With a compound annual growth rate of 25 per cent, the South Indian streaming and digital media market is expected to be worth Rs 16,200 crore by the end of 2022, nearly two-and-a-half times the film revenues. Disney Hotstar, Amazon Prime, Zee5, Netflix, and SonyLiv are aggressively establishing themselves in the southern states.
The South Indian print industry market is expected to be worth Rs 9,900 crore by the end of 2022, with radio, digital, OTT, and music following close behind. Further, South India’s five states account for 286 of India’s total 1369 radio channels, accounting for a 21 per cent share of the total radio pie in India.
“South India has continued to play an important role in the evolution of the M&E industry, owing to the popularity of vernacular content, rapid digitisation and connectivity, an evolving ecosystem, global viewership, and personalisation,” the report stated. “Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, the five southern states, have been at the forefront of leading the transformation of India’s M&E sector.”
“The growth story of the South Indian M&E sector, like that of the rest of India, continues to be unique and multimodal, with digital and traditional media co-existing and growing with very different underlying trends,” it added.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
