Movies
NH Studioz becomes world’s largest holder of Tamil movies
MUMBAI: NH Studioz has raced to the top of global Tamil cinema ownership after acquiring 1,677 feature films from Columbia Video Films, the Malaysia-based distributor with one of the region’s most prized South Indian libraries. The deal hands NH Studioz complete negative and copyright control, marking one of the biggest single transfers of Tamil film IP to an Indian company.
Founded in the 1970s, Columbia Video Films built a formidable catalogue and distribution network across Southeast Asia, turning its library into a treasure trove of Tamil classics. The haul now landing with NH Studioz stretches across the golden eras of M.G. Ramachandran, Sivaji Ganesan, Jayalalithaa, Rajinikanth, Kamal Hassan, Ajith Kumar and Vijay, films that shaped the cultural identity of Tamil cinema and continue to enthral audiences.
NH Studioz director Shreyans Hirawat called the acquisition a cultural and commercial milestone. Tamil cinema’s global footprint, he said, makes preservation and worldwide distribution the company’s next priority, with restoration and platform-ready versions set to power TV, OTT, FAST channels and international syndication.
The grab lifts NH Studioz’s Tamil catalogue to 2,100 titles, cementing its position as the world’s biggest holder of Tamil films at a time when nostalgia-fuelled demand is surging across Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and diaspora markets. The firm plans to partner with free-to-air networks and digital platforms to bring these classics back into circulation and introduce new viewers to Tamil cinema’s roots.
NH Studioz will parade its expanded library at ATF 2025 in Singapore, inviting broadcasters and global buyers to tap into its multilingual vault. With this haul, the company isn’t just scaling up, it is turbocharging its march into the global content big league.
Hollywood
Paramount Skydance secures financing for Warner Bros Discovery deal
Debt syndication and new loans push $111 billion merger closer to close
WASHINGTON: Paramount Skydance has taken a major step towards its planned acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, securing fresh financing and completing the syndication of its bridge loan facility.
In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company confirmed that the bridge facility has now been distributed among a group of 18 banks, reducing total commitments to $49 billion from an earlier $54 billion. The move spreads risk across lenders and signals growing confidence in one of the year’s largest media deals.
Alongside this, the company has finalised permanent financing arrangements, including $5 billion in senior term loans and a $5 billion revolving credit facility. A previously planned $3.5 billion credit line has been dropped as part of the restructuring.
The loans are secured against key assets, including Paramount Global, Skydance Media and Warner Bros post-merger, underlining the scale and complexity of the transaction.
The financing push follows a competitive bidding process earlier this year, which saw interest from players such as Netflix before Paramount Skydance emerged as the frontrunner. The deal, valued at $111 billion, is expected to close in the third quarter, subject to regulatory approvals.
Adding to the momentum, the company has also secured significant equity backing, including investments from Middle Eastern funds, with support from billionaire Larry Ellison, who has guaranteed the equity portion of the transaction.
Commenting on the development, Paramount Skydance chief strategy officer Andy Gordon said, “Our successful debt syndication and new debt facilities represent another important milestone towards the completion of our acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery.”
Once completed, the combined entity is expected to carry net debt of just under $80 billion, reflecting the sheer scale of the merger.
As Hollywood continues to consolidate in the streaming era, this deal could reshape the competitive landscape, with Paramount Skydance betting big on scale, content and financial muscle to take on global rivals.
