JioHotstar launches in UK, Canada, and Singapore
JioHotstar, the streaming service owned by JioStar, has officially commenced operations in the UK, Canada, and Singapore, expanding its international presence beyond India. The platform aims to engage South Asian diaspora audiences in these regions, as reported by CNBC TV18 and The Hindu Business Line. The launch follows the merger of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar under the JioStar umbrella, according to CNBC TV18.
The service will feature content from JioStar's television channels, including Star Plus, Colours, Star Vijay, Asianet, Star Jalsha, and Star Pravah, as reported by both CNBC TV18 and Livemint. In Canada and Singapore, certain shows will be accessible before their television premiere, while viewers in the UK can watch concurrently with TV broadcasts, according to CNBC TV18. Livemint lists specific before-TV titles such as Anupama, Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Seher Hone Ko Hai, and Azhagae Azhagu for Singapore and Canada.
New originals and Bigg Boss features
JioHotstar will air a slate of new originals, including Ali Baba Aur Chaalis Bhoot, Prince of Mollywood, Part Timers, and The Court, along with new seasons of the reality franchise Bigg Boss across six languages, as reported by Livemint and The Hindu Business Line. Audiences will be able to vote live for every edition of Bigg Boss across Singapore, Canada, and the UK. Canadian viewers will also be able to watch Bigg Boss Hindi seven days ahead of its TV broadcast, a detail carried by both Livemint and The Hindu Business Line.
Subscribers in Canada and the UK will have access to a 24/7 live feed of shows, as reported by CNBC TV18 and The Hindu Business Line. The platform will offer subtitles and dubs across more than 12 Asian languages, including English, Hindi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, and Marathi, according to Livemint.
Subscription plans and accessibility
The service will be accessible on mobile devices and connected televisions via app stores in the three countries, as reported by CNBC TV18. The Hindu Business Line reports that JioHotstar introduced new quarterly and annual subscription plans across all three markets, ranging from GBP 20-70, CAD 20-50, and SGD 30-70. Existing Hotstar subscribers prior to the JioCinema and Hotstar merger can log in with their current credentials and transition to a JioHotstar plan without service disruption in these markets. UK subscribers can continue their current monthly plans until auto-renewal remains active, according to The Hindu Business Line.
Content library and industry context
According to a Moneycontrol report cited by CNBC TV18, the platform will provide over 160,000 hours of content in more than 12 Asian languages, featuring original series, films, television shows, reality programming, children's content, and anime. JioHotstar has announced its intention to add over 30,000 hours of new content each year, a figure reported by CNBC TV18, Livemint, and The Hindu Business Line.
Industry experts cited by Livemint say local video streaming platforms focused on regional languages and niche target audiences are increasingly getting a substantial chunk of their revenue from overseas Indian viewers, in some cases up to 40%.