Deputy Chief Minister Inaugurates ‘FIC CI Media & Entertainment Business Con clave
Deputy Chief Minister Inaugurates ‘FIC CI Media & Entertainment Business Con clave (MEBC)–South Connect 2025’ in C hennai, India
Actor Kamal Haasan announced as Chai rman of FICCI Media and Entertainment , South.
CHENNAI, 21 February 2025: Deputy C hief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Mr Udhaya nidhi Stalin, along with legendary actor-filmmaker Mr Kamal Haasan, today inag urated the two-day media and entertain ment conclave ‘FICCI MEBC South’. Mr Haasan was also announced as the Chai rman of FICCI Media and Entertainment Committee, South.
Mr Udhayanidhi Stalin, Deputy Chief Mi nister of Tamil Nadu emphasized the im portance of regional industries in drivin ng global recognition. He expressed his commitment to realize the dream of Dr. Kalaignar (Dr. Karunanidhi) to make Ta mil Nadu an entertainment epicenter. “A key initiative is the establishment of a st ate-of-the-art film city spread across 15 2 acres in Chennai. This world-class facil ty will include advanced post-productio n studios, virtual production technologi es, animation and VFX studios, LED wall s, and even a 5-star hotel for industry pr ofessionals,” he added.
He also made an important announcem ent towards fulfilling the dream of Dr. K arunanidhi, saying, “In 2010, during Dr. Kalaignar (Dr. Karunanidhi) a 90-acre la nd near Kelambakkam was allocated for a 99-year lease to film industry organiza tions for building residential complexes. The construction was to be completed within three years, but the beneficiaries couldn’t finish it, rendering the order inv alid. In response to a request from the a ssociations, our Chief Minister decided t o revise the order, allowing the land to b e used for the intended construction. Th e revised order was issued recently,” Mr S talin highlighted.
Mr Kamal Haasan while sharing his insig hts into the evolving media landscape sa id, “Indian cinema can become true amb assador for Indian culture. We need a lo ng-term vision for Indian cinema, for wh ich the government, both the state and t he centre, will have to come up with reg ulations to not contain emerging techno logies, but include emerging technologie s without it impeding the existing marke t. Also, a request since the Deputy CM is here that we need to relook and reform the state entertainment tax on cinema.”
Mr Kevin Vaz, Chairman, FICCI Media a nd Entertainment Committee and CEO – Entertainment, JioStar said, “The South ‘s media landscape has evolved from reg ional to national and now global, exemp lified by icons like Mr. Kamal Haasan, w hose films have broken boundaries for d ecades. The post-pandemic revival of th e box office, driven by films like RRR and KGF-2, and Tamil cinema’s storytelling, c ontinue to shape India’s entertainment s ector. As digital media grows rapidly, I b elieve India is an “AND” market, where b oth TV and digital coexist, unlocking im mense potential. With upcoming forums like WAVES and continued innovation, I ndia’s media industry is poised to take t he global stage.”
The event aims to serve as a pivotal plat form for exploring the future of films, te levision, OTT, gaming, animation, and di gital entertainment, setting the stage fo r innovation, collaboration, and strategi c growth within India’s creative econom omy
The two-day conclave will feature a dyn amic blend of knowledge sessions, mast erclasses, workshops, content markets, and exhibitions, exploring critical aspec ts of India’s evolving media and entertai nment landscape. Key focus areas will in clude the global influence of Indian cine ma, the transformation of television and OTT, innovations redefining broad casti ng and music consumption, and India’s ri se as a powerhouse in gaming, animatio n, and VFX. Additionally, discussions on Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) in M&E will address regulatory frameworks and policies, fostering a seamless, growth-dr iven industry ecosystem.
A special segment, PlayNext – Developer’s Day, will delve into gaming, esports, and interactive entertainment, highlighting India’s emergence as a glob al leader in the AVGC-XR ecosystem.
Sandhya Devanathan, Co-Chair, FICCI M&E Committee & VP, Country Head -I ndia, Meta; Arjun Nohwar, Co-Chair, FI CCI Media & Entertainment Committee and SVP & Country GM – India & South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery; and Dr. G .S.K. Velu, Chairman, FICCI Tamil Nadu S tate Council were the other dignitaries at the inaugural event. Other distinguis uished industry leaders included Ashish Pherwani, Ravi Kottarakara, Kaartheke yen hekeyen Santhanam, Sanjay A. Wad hwa, Ankur Vaish, Shweta Bajpai, Mahe sh Shetty, Krishnan Kutty, Ravikant Sab navis, Munjal Shroff, Vaibhav Chavan, Ja kes Bejoy, Bejoy Arputharaj, Ashish Kul karni, among others.
