Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema Join Forces Under the JioHotstar Title

Nitin Konde, Varun Bhardwaj

14 Feb 2025 — 3 min read

Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema Unite Under JioHotstar Brand

JioStar, the recently established joint venture between Viacom18 and Star India, has formally announced the debut of JioHotstar, a single streaming platform that combines JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar, putting an end to months of suspense. By combining a sizable content collection from the two streaming behemoths under one roof, the deal represents a significant consolidation in India's OTT market.

At first, JioHotstar would provide users with free access to films, television series, and live sports during specific hours. Starting at INR 149, the portal will also launch a variety of subscription plans catered to the varied tastes of its audience. According to the corporation, JioHotstar will be a seamless transfer for current JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar customers.

According to a statement from Kiran Mani, CEO of JioStar's digital division, JioHotstar has a compelling vision: to genuinely make luxury entertainment available to all Indians. Entertainment is now a shared experience for everyone rather than a luxury thanks to brand claims of "infinite possibilities." The partnership is personalising material like never before by including AI-driven suggestions and providing streaming in more than 19 languages.

How Collaboration will Operate?

Following the integration, JioHotstar will have a ten-language content library with a selection of TV series, original productions, reality shows, movies, anime, and global premieres. JioHotstar will also stream elite competitions, such as ICC events, the Indian Premier League (IPL), and the Women's Premier League (WPL), among others, further solidifying its standing as a top sports destination. In addition to cricket, the platform will feature domestic league matches like Pro Kabaddi and the Indian Super League (ISL), as well as international sporting events including Wimbledon and the Premier League.

According to Sanjog Gupta, CEO of JioStar's sports vertical, the recently established company is dedicated to providing an experience that is as immersive as being in the stadium itself, whether it's the intense Premier League matchup, the drama of the Champions Trophy, or the high-octane IPL. With the tremendous reception to Coldplay's Music of the Spheres webcast, we see this innovation go beyond sports, and the corporation is eager to keep innovating.

Tweaking the Business Strategy

Instead of offering free streaming for IPL cricket matches, the joint venture plans to change its approach. JioHotstar will instead use a hybrid model, letting consumers watch matches for free up to a point, after which they will need to subscribe to continue. This comes after Reliance and Walt Disney agreed to combine their media businesses in India for $8.5 billion last year. After being approved by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in August 2024 and finalised in November of last year, the deal has produced a media powerhouse with over 100 TV stations, two streaming services, and an estimated 750 million users.

Viacom18 has been strengthening its leadership team to guide the combined company as it unifies its activities under the newly established JioHotstar. Ishan Chatterjee, a former YouTube executive, was named the old JioCinema's chief business officer (CBO) in October 2024 to spur expansion, while Mani, the former top boss of JioCinema and Google, was given the responsibility of leading JioStar's digital division.

The combined OTT platform will now face off against giants worldwide like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. While Zee5 and SonyLIV are now distant competitors in the streaming battle due to the failed Zee-Sony merger, Amazon is actively pursuing India's mass-market audience after its MX Player merger.