Mumbai, 17 November 2025: NH Studioz, one of India’s leading film rights custodians, has announced a landmark acquisition—complete negative and copyright ownership of 1,677 Tamil feature films from Columbia Video Films, one of Malaysia’s oldest and most reputed Tamil film distributors.
A Historic Transfer of Tamil Cinema Legacy
Founded in the 1970s, Columbia Video Films has long been known for its vast South Indian film archive and a strong distribution network across Southeast Asia. This acquisition marks one of the largest single transfers of Tamil cinema intellectual property to an Indian company, significantly strengthening NH Studioz’s presence in both South Indian and global content markets.
A Treasure of Tamil Cinema’s Golden Eras
The newly acquired catalogue features legendary works of icons such as:
-
M.G. Ramachandran (MGR)
-
Sivaji Ganesan
-
Jayalalithaa
-
Kamal Hassan
-
Rajinikanth
-
Ajith Kumar
-
Vijay
These titles represent some of the most influential films that shaped Tamil cinema’s identity and continue to resonate with audiences worldwide.
A Cultural and Business Milestone
“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, the NH Studioz Tamil library now stands at over 2,100 titles, officially making it the world’s largest collection of Tamil movies. The company plans to integrate the catalogue into its growing digital ecosystem, spanning TV, OTT, FAST channels, and global syndication.
Expanding Regional Reach
The acquisition comes at a time when demand for South Indian content is rapidly rising in:
-
Malaysia
-
Singapore
-
Sri Lanka
-
Global Tamil diaspora markets
A surge in nostalgia-driven viewing has renewed interest in classic Tamil cinema. NH Studioz intends to collaborate with Free TV networks, regional broadcasters, and digital platforms to reintroduce these beloved titles to long-time fans while attracting new audiences.
Showcasing at ATF 2025 Singapore
NH Studioz will present its expanded Tamil film library at the Asia TV Forum (ATF) 2025 in Singapore, inviting OTT players, broadcasters, and international buyers to explore licensing opportunities.
With this milestone, NH Studioz continues to broaden its leadership in Bollywood and regional film rights, positioning itself as a global powerhouse in multilingual content ownership and monetisation.
