JioStar launches JioHotstar, merges JioCinema, Disney+ Hotstar platforms; check what it means for subscribers

JioStar, the new joint venture between Reliance-owned Viacom18 and Disney’s Star India, announced the launch of JioHotstar on Friday bringing the streaming platforms JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar together.

With nearly 3 lakh hours of content and over 50 crore users, JioHotstar is set to become a major player in the OTT scene in India. The subscription plans for the platform have been tailored to the diverse audience, starting at ₹149 for three months, the company said in a statement.

"At the core of JioHotstar is a powerful vision—to make premium entertainment truly accessible to all Indians. Our promise of 'Infinite Possibilities' ensures that entertainment is no longer a privilege, but a shared experience for all," JioStar CEO, Digital, Kiran Mani said.

Mani added, "By integrating AI-driven recommendations and offering streaming in over 19 languages, we are personalising content like never before."

What does it mean for subscribers?

The existing subscribers of both JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar will be able to easily switch to JioHotstar subscriptions, the statement said.

While viewers will be able to watch shows and live sports without a subscription, users will need to subscribe for uninterrupted watching on the platform, it added.

JioHotstar will offer the best of Hollywood with movies and shows from Disney, NBCUniversal Peacock, Warner Bros, Discovery HBO. It will also stream premier tournaments like ICC events, IPL, and WPL.

The platform will also spotlight grassroots cricket with the Indian Street Premier League and events from BCCI, ICC, and state associations, other sporting events including the Premier League and Wimbledon, and domestic leagues such as Pro Kabaddi and ISL, the statement said.

"Sports in India is more than just a game—it's passion, pride, and a shared experience that unites millions. JioHotstar is revolutionising how fans experience live sports, combining the best of technology, access, and innovation," JioStar CEO, Sports, Sanjog Gupta said.

The company said that JioHotstar will offer ultra-HD 4K streaming, AI-powered insights, real-time stats overlays, multi-angle viewing and a range of 'culture' and 'special interest' feeds for fans to enjoy an immersive experience of the sports event.

What happened to the JioHotstar domain fiasco?

Even before the merger and acquisition deal of Viacom18 and Star India was finalised in November 2024 for over ₹70,000 crore, the domain name ‘JioHotsar’ was claimed by a Delhi-based web developer.

The developer, anticipating the merger, bought the domain and asked Reliance Industries to fund his degree at Cambridge. He published a letter, saying this, on the ‘JioHotstar.com’ website, signing it off with ‘A dreamer’.

While an executive from Reliance reached out to the developer, his request was denied. He later sold the domain to Dubai-based siblings, Jainam and Jivika.

Although many tried to buy the domain from the siblings, they ended up offering the domain to Reliance for free saying that it was never their intention to sell it but to support the developer. Emphasising that they never wanted to profit from the transaction, the domain was officially transferred to Reliance in December 2024.