Streaming platform JioHotstar, part of Indian group Reliance Industries, has started expanding its operations beyond India’s borders for the first time. The service will replace Hotstar in the United Kingdom, Canada and Singapore, marking the beginning of a global reach strategy.
At launch, the streaming service will feature a vast library of more than 160,000 hours of entertainment. However, it will not include broadcasts of live sporting events that have been crucial to India’s great success, such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), Women’s Premier League (WPL) and Indian national cricket team matches. JioStar explained that the absence of sports at the moment is due to pre-existing content agreements, but left open the possibility of incorporating these events in the future.
The decision not to offer sports in the international debut represents a notable change compared to JioHotstar’s performance in India. There, the company has more than 500 million monthly active users and sporting events are a strong draw. In India, the service shows major cricket competitions, the English Premier League, tennis tournaments like Wimbledon and the US Open, and national sports leagues like kabaddi and hockey.
JioStar has confirmed that from September 2, Hotstar will be discontinued in the UK, Canada and Singapore, making way for JioHotstar. Subscribers in these three countries will no longer be able to access the platform through the old app, but will be able to use their existing login credentials on the new JioHotstar, as announced by the company. The JioHotstar app will be accessible on the App Store and Google Play Store for mobile devices, as well as smart TVs.
For years, Hotstar already had an international presence, including the United Kingdom and Canada. There was also an independent service in the United States, which ended in 2021. However, JioHotstar will not make its debut in the US in this first stage of global expansion. The company intends to reach other international markets over time.
JioHotstar’s launch will include a wide range of Indian films, original series and reality shows such as “Bigg Boss”. Star’s live TV channels such as Star Plus, Colors, Star Vijay, Asianet, Star Jalsha and Star Pravah will also be available. The company detailed that the content will be offered in 12 languages, including English, Hindi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada and Marathi, with dubbing and translation options.
In 2024, Reliance and Disney combined their media assets in a joint venture valued at $8.5 billion. This deal resulted in the merger of streaming services Hotstar and JioCinema, creating JioHotstar specifically for Indian audiences. During that period, the two platforms combined were responsible for 85% of the streaming audience in India.
According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, JioHotstar has the potential to reach a target audience of over 4 million people in the three countries where it will be launched. Additionally, some of its catalog could appeal to the South Asian diaspora more broadly, given its strong connection to Indian entertainment.
“South Asian audiences maintain a deep connection with Indian entertainment, regardless of language, generation or place of residence. At the same time, we see global audiences increasingly seeking diverse narratives and cultures. We see a chance to develop something for this broader and underserved global audience, not just export an Indian streaming service to new territories,” said Amit Malhotra, head of international business at JioStar.
For the UK, JioStar has priced JioHotstar at £19.99 (roughly US$27) quarterly and £69.99 (roughly US$95) annually. In Canada, subscriptions will cost CA$19.99 (about US$14) per quarter and CA$49.99 (about US$36) per year. In Singapore, the prices are SG$29.98 (approximately US$24) and SG$69.98 (approximately US$55), respectively. Although the prices are similar to those charged by Hotstar, JioHotstar will initially only provide entertainment content. Consumers interested in sports should consider hiring another service at an extra cost.
On the other hand, JioHotstar subscriptions in India start at ₹79 (about $0.80) monthly for access on a single mobile device, rising to ₹2,199 (about $23) annually for the most comprehensive package.