Warner Music India significantly expands its footprint across South India through a series of major catalog acquisitions and strategic partnerships.
Warner Music India announces a major expansion of its presence in South India through a series of major catalog acquisitions and strategic partnerships across Tamil and Malayalam-language music. These include Gemini Music and Gautham Vasudev Menon’s production company Magic Frames, expanding Warner Music India’s repertoire and release pipeline in the region.
The strategic expansion includes an exclusive long-term agreement with filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon, which covers past and future releases. It also includes a partnership with prominent Malayalam film production and distribution house Magic Frames and the acquisition of Gemini Music.
The expansion builds on Warner Music India’s majority investment in Divo in 2023, a pivotal move in establishing the company’s presence in the region. Under the leadership of Shahir Muneer, Founder and Director, Divo brings rich experience across the South Indian film and music industries. It also provides extensive capabilities in distribution, publishing, label operations, and digital media, playing a central role in driving Warner Music India’s growth strategy.
Warner Music India and Divo are investing together in established catalogs, securing long-term partnerships, and expanding their repertoire across Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada music. By pairing strong regional foundations with Warner Music’s global network, the combined forces are propelling South Indian music to the international stage.
The acquisition of Gemini Music brings a catalog of beloved Tamil film soundtracks into the Warner Music folder, including hits like Thalapathy Vijay’s “Nanban” and “Thuppakki”, Dhanush’s “Mayakkam Enna”, Suriya’s “Singam 2”, and Bala’s “Paradesi”. The collection features celebrated scores from leading composers, including Harris Jayaraj, G.V. Prakash Kumar, and Devi Sri Prasad.
“South India’s vibrant regional markets are central to building a sustainable, future-forward music business in India,” said Jay Mehta, Managing Director, Recorded Music and Publishing, India and SAARC. “By combining marquee catalog acquisitions with long-term creative partnerships, we’re strengthening our regional foundation while leveraging Warner Music’s global network to take these incredible soundtracks and artists to the world.”
“South Indian film music has a lasting cultural impact, with soundtracks that continue to find new audiences well beyond their original release. These partnerships allow us to build on that enduring appeal while investing in the next generation of releases, creating a stronger and more expansive repertoire across the region,” added Ashok Parwani, Head of Music for South India, Warner Music India.
Through these strategic investments and partnerships, Warner Music India is solidifying its position across South India by deepening its engagement with the regional film and music ecosystem.
