Visakhapatnam: Emphasising that South India has already secured its place on the global creative map, actress and Tamil Nadu BJP Vice President Khushbu Sundar on Saturday called for urgent reforms in financing, market access and intellectual property frameworks to sustain this momentum.
Addressing the inaugural session of the Creative Economy Forum (CEF) South at the Vizag Convention Centre, organised by The Hans India in association with CEF, Khushbu said the region’s cinema and music industries have outgrown the “emerging” label and now command worldwide attention.
She observed that South Indian storytelling today crosses linguistic and cultural boundaries with ease, with films and music reaching international audiences almost instantly. However, she cautioned that creative excellence alone is not enough unless it is supported by robust economic systems.
Linking her remarks to the forum’s theme, “Money, Markets & IP: Financing the Future of Films & Music,” Khushbu highlighted the challenges creators face due to unstructured funding and uneven risk-sharing. According to her, the absence of institutional finance often forces creators to shoulder disproportionate risks, limiting the full potential of innovative ideas.
Calling for global-standard financing models, she stressed the importance of private investment, organised capital and stronger IP protection to match the industry’s international ambitions. On market expansion, she noted that while South Indian content now enjoys simultaneous global releases and viral reach, distribution and monetisation channels remain fragmented.
Khushbu concluded by advocating a comprehensive strategy that strengthens export mechanisms and distribution networks, enabling local stories to find global audiences without compromising their cultural identity.
