NH Studioz, one of India’s largest and most influential custodians of film rights, has announced the acquisition of complete negative and copyright ownership for 1,677 Tamil feature films from Columbia Video Films one of Malaysia’s oldest and most respected distributors of Tamil cinema.
Established in the 1970s, Columbia Video Films has long been recognised for its extensive South Indian film library and strong distribution network across Southeast Asia and beyond. This acquisition marks one of the largest single transfers of Tamil cinema intellectual property to an Indian company, significantly expanding NH Studioz’s footprint in the South Indian and international content markets.
The catalogue spans Tamil cinema’s golden eras — featuring timeless works of M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), Sivaji Ganesan, Jayalalithaa, Kamal Hassan, Rajinikanth, Ajith Kumar and Vijay. These titles not only shaped Tamil cinema’s cultural identity but continue to captivate audiences across generations.
“This acquisition is both a business and cultural milestone for us,” said Shreyans Hirawat, Director, NH Studioz. “Tamil cinema has a massive global following, and through this library, we aim to bring these timeless stories to new audiences worldwide. Our goal is to preserve, restore, and distribute these films across emerging platforms so that their legacy continues to thrive for generations to come.”
With this acquisition, NH Studioz’s Tamil catalogue expands to 2,100 titles now, making it the world’s largest collection of Tamil movies. The company plans to integrate the library into its growing digital portfolio, offering availability across television, OTT, FAST channels, and global syndication networks.
Expanding Regional Reach: The move comes at a time of rising demand for South Indian content across Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the Tamil diaspora markets, where nostalgia-driven viewing is fuelling renewed interest in classic cinema. NH Studioz aims to collaborate with Free TV networks, digital platforms, and regional broadcasters to bring these beloved titles back to audiences who grew up watching them — and to introduce new viewers to the origins of Tamil storytelling.
Showcasing at ATF 2025 Singapore: NH Studioz will officially showcase its expanded Tamil film catalogue at the upcoming Asia TV Forum (ATF) 2025 in Singapore, inviting broadcasters, OTTs, and content buyers to explore licensing opportunities. The company, known for its extensive Bollywood and regional film rights, is now emerging as a global powerhouse in multilingual content ownership and monetisation.
