Why is Netflix betting big on South Indian stories in 2026?

As Netflix India unveiled its annual content slate for 2026, it made it evident that while Hindi originals continue to anchor its programming, a significant portion of its creative and investment energy is now flowing southward.

The platform is sharpening its focus on regional storytelling, particularly from South India, with the introduction of the first-ever Telugu originals, creator-led Tamil series, and partnerships with some of the biggest production houses across languages.

For a platform that entered India early and helped redefine long-form streaming with Sacred Games in 2018, the move raises an obvious question: is Netflix late to the South Indian content party, or is it simply choosing its moment?

A slate that leans regional

Speaking at the annual event, Monika Shergill, vice president – content, Netflix India, positioned the 2026 lineup as the platform’s most expansive yet. Spanning crime, thrillers, drama, comedy, romance, unscripted formats and socially rooted stories, the slate reflects Netflix’s attempt to balance scale with cultural specificity.

While Hindi titles continue to form a substantial part of the offering, ranging from Neeraj Pandey’s crime drama Ghooskhor Pandat starring Manoj Bajpayee to Hansal Mehta’s Family Business with Anil Kapoor and Vijay Varma, the more telling announcement lay in Netflix’s growing South India footprint.

“This is about taking Indian cinema and stories to the world,” Shergill said. “In 2026, we are ramping up our partnerships with some of the country’s finest studios and production houses in the South.”

Netflix has tied up with leading regional production houses, including Sithara Entertainments, Mythri Movie Makers, Vyjayanthi Movies, Wall Poster Cinema, Geetha Arts, AGS Entertainment, Raaj Kamal Films International, Hombale Films, 2D Entertainment and Stone Bench Pvt Ltd – names that command both box-office credibility and cultural trust in their respective markets.

What Netflix is betting on in the South

The upcoming slate underlines a deliberate attempt to build originals that feel rooted yet scalable.

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In Tamil, Netflix is rolling out Love, a romantic series set in the world of dating apps; Made in Korea, a cross-cultural film; and Legacy, a series starring R. Madhavan that explores family, inheritance and generational conflict.

Telugu content sees a notable expansion with Takshakudu, marking Anand Deverakonda’s Netflix debut in a supernatural mystery film, and Super Subbu, Netflix’s first-ever Telugu original series.

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Rather than chasing volume, the platform appears to be leaning into fewer titles led by known creators and actors, an approach that mirrors its global strategy but is being recalibrated for regional India.

Why the South matters more than ever

According toAnup Chandrasekharan, COO – regional, The EPIC Company, the South Indian market has long been content-first and loyalty-driven, making it central to any streamer’s growth ambitions.

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“South audiences show higher engagement metrics,” he explains. “Watch time is higher, genre exploration is wider, and viewers consume more titles than the national average.”

He points to JioHotstar’s ‘South Unbound’ initiative, which revealed that nearly 75% of original South content commissions today come from the platform. Data from the initiative also suggested that South audiences spend more time watching content and sample across genres more aggressively.

“This naturally becomes attractive for any global streamer looking at subscription growth,” Chandrasekharan says.

“For Netflix, it’s also about becoming more deeply relevant in India and positioning itself as a truly pan-India platform, not just an English or metro-first one.”

The trend isn’t limited to Netflix. Sony recently restructured its leadership to prioritise southern markets, appointing dedicated regional teams across TV and digital. What was once considered a diversification strategy is now becoming the industry’s primary growth engine.

“There’s a clear crossover happening,” Chandrasekharan adds. “More Malayalam films, for instance, are being watched outside Kerala than within. Today, the consumption of South content extends far beyond state boundaries.

Late or right on time?

While platforms such as SonyLIV, ZEE5 and JioHotstar have been commissioning South originals for years and regional OTT players have built deep language-first libraries, Netflix’s intensified push comes relatively late.

But does timing matter?

“It’s not about being late; it’s about aligning with what the market demands today,” says Chandrasekharan. “In the creative business, how you arrive matters more than when you arrive. If you offer something distinctive, you can become a leader very quickly.”

Divya Dixit, CEO of Recz (formerly ALTBalaji, ZEE5), offers a more nuanced view. “Netflix is late, but the market is proven not closed,” she says.

“South Indian languages represent massive, highly loyal viewing bases with strong daily consumption habits. These stories also travel well across states through dubbing, giving them long-tail value.”

Dixit believes Netflix's South strategy will likely prioritise premium, creator-led storytelling over scale. “This is less about chasing volume and more about relevance, retention and cultural depth,” she adds.

A recalibration, not a pivot

As Netflix looks to its next decade in India, its South-heavy 2026 slate signals less of a pivot and more of a recalibration. The platform that once changed the game with a Hindi crime thriller is now acknowledging that India’s streaming future will be increasingly shaped by regional voices, particularly from the South.