JioStar set to invest ₹33,000cr in Indian media by 2026, says Uday Shankar

JioStar: Shankar said the growth opportunities are huge for the media and entertainment sector.

Content Spend Rises Sharply as JioStar Targets Indian Viewers

JioStar, the media and entertainment joint venture between Reliance Jio’s Viacom18 and Disney Star, is ramping up investments in content and infrastructure, with total spending expected to surpass ₹33,000 crore by 2026.

Speaking at the inaugural Waves Summit, Uday Shankar — co-founder of Bodhi Tree Systems and Vice Chairman of JioStar — highlighted the scale of this commitment, noting that content investments have grown year-on-year.

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“In 2024, we spent ₹25,000 crore on content alone. That increased to ₹30,000 crore in 2025, and the number will cross ₹32,000-33,000 crore in 2026,” Shankar said. He added that over three years, JioStar will have spent more than $10 billion — entirely focused on catering to Indian tastes and preferences.

India’s Entertainment Industry Has Massive Growth Potential

Shankar emphasized that India’s screen entertainment sector, currently valued at $30 billion, lags far behind global giants like the U.S. ($200 billion) and China ($75 billion), signaling vast room for growth.

However, he pointed out that India must address key challenges to unlock this potential:

1. Localized Content Creation: “We need to create more content tailored to Indian needs. One-size-fits-all or imported global content won’t work,” Shankar said, stressing the need for regional storytelling.
2. Deeper Distribution: With the telecom and broadband revolution reaching rural areas, distribution must keep pace to deliver content across demographics.
3. Creative Infrastructure: “We’re not just constrained by capital but by capacity — access to good storytellers, writers, producers, directors, and actors remains a major hurdle,” he explained.

Conclusion: A Vision for Indian Media’s Future

With its aggressive spending and sharp focus on India-centric content, JioStar aims to reshape the country’s media landscape. Shankar’s remarks make it clear that the future of Indian entertainment hinges on scalable infrastructure, diverse storytelling, and deeper audience reach.