Kamal Haasan to Chair India’s FICCI Media-Entertainment Committee South as Tamil Nadu Ramps Up Film Infrastructure

Naman Ramachandran

21 February 2025 at 6:19 am·2-min read

Indian screen legend Kamal Haasan has been tapped to head the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s (FICCI) Media and Entertainment Committee South, as announced at the org’s Media & Entertainment Business Conclave South Connect 2025 in Chennai.

The two-day conference, inaugurated by Haasan alongside actor and producer Udhayanidhi Stalin, who now serves as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state of Tamil Nadu, arrives as South Indian entertainment continues to flex its muscle in the global marketplace.

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Stalin used the platform to unveil ambitious plans for a sprawling 152-acre film city in Chennai, promising state-of-the-art facilities including virtual production technologies, VFX studios, LED walls and a five-star hotel. He also announced the revival of a dormant 2010 land lease initiative championed by former Chief Minister Karunanidhi, green-lighting construction of residential complexes for film industry professionals on a 90-acre plot near Kelambakkam.

Haasan called for regulatory frameworks that embrace rather than restrict emerging technologies, while also making a direct pitch to the deputy CM to “relook and reform the state entertainment tax on cinema.”

JioStar Entertainment CEO Kevin Vaz, who chairs FICCI’s Media and Entertainment Committee, highlighted South India’s evolution from regional player to global force, citing recent box office juggernauts “RRR” and “K.G.F: Chapter 2” as evidence of the industry’s growing clout.

The conclave’s agenda spans television, streaming, gaming, animation and VFX sectors, with a dedicated “PlayNext” segment focused on gaming and e-sports. Industry heavyweights in attendance included Meta’s India head Sandhya Devanathan and Warner Bros. Discovery’s South Asia chief Arjun Nohwar.

The event is taking place Feb. 21-22.

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