Tuesday 15 September 2026
Evening EditionRSS

ZOTPAPER

News without the noise

ZOTPAPER
Business

JioHotstar Launches Global Streaming Service Without Sports, Replacing Hotstar in Three Markets

Reliance’s streaming platform targets overseas Indian diaspora with 160,000 hours of entertainment content

edit
By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time3 min
JioHotstar, the streaming platform owned by Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries, is expanding internationally for the first time, replacing Hotstar in the UK, Canada, and Singapore starting September 2. The service launches with more than 160,000 hours of entertainment content but notably excludes live sports, a key driver of its massive Indian audience.

JioHotstar, the streaming platform controlled by Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries, is taking its brand outside India for the first time and will replace Hotstar in the UK, Canada, and Singapore as it begins a wider global push. Starting September 2, Hotstar will cease to exist in those three markets, according to a JioStar spokesperson speaking to TechCrunch. Users’ existing login credentials will work on JioHotstar, and the app will be available on mobile devices via the App Store and Google Play Store, as well as on connected TVs.

The service will debut with more than 160,000 hours of entertainment content, including Indian films, TV originals, reality shows like Bigg Boss, and live TV channels under the Star banner such as Star Plus, Colors, Star Vijay, Asianet, Star Jalsha, and Star Pravah. Content is available in 12 languages, including English, Hindi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, and Marathi, with dubs and translations.

However, live sports — which have been a major draw for JioHotstar in India — will not be available at launch. JioStar said existing content deals prevent sports from being included in these markets, but it did not rule out adding them in the future. In India, JioHotstar streams the Indian Premier League (IPL), Women’s Premier League (WPL), Indian national cricket matches, the English Premier League, Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and domestic leagues for sports such as kabaddi and hockey, contributing to its base of over 500 million monthly active users.

The international rollout does not include the United States, where Hotstar previously operated a standalone service until 2021. The company plans to expand into additional overseas markets over time.

JioHotstar’s launch follows the 2024 merger of Reliance’s media assets with Disney to form an $8.5 billion joint venture, which led to the consolidation of Hotstar and JioCinema into JioHotstar for Indian consumers. At the time of the merger, the two services accounted for 85% of streaming viewership in India, according to reports.

The targeted audience in the three launch markets is estimated at more than 4 million people, based on Indian diaspora population data from India’s Ministry of External Affairs. JioStar said it sees an opportunity to build for a broader, underserved global audience that seeks stories and cultures beyond their own, not simply to export an Indian streaming service.

§

Analysis

Why This Matters

  • JioHotstar’s global push brings a major Indian entertainment library to diaspora audiences in key markets, offering a competitor to existing streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime.
  • The absence of live sports — a primary draw in India — may limit initial appeal among users who expect that content from the Hotstar brand.
  • The rollout signals Reliance’s broader international ambitions, with potential future expansions into other regions, including the U.S.

Background

JioHotstar is the product of a 2024 joint venture between Reliance Industries and Disney that merged their Indian media assets into an $8.5 billion entity. The merger combined Hotstar and JioCinema into a single streaming platform for India, where it dominates with over 500 million monthly active users. Hotstar had already operated internationally in markets such as the UK and Canada, but JioHotstar’s global debut marks the first time the brand is being extended outside India. The service’s focus on entertainment content reflects its strategy to target the South Asian diaspora without immediately competing with regional sports broadcasters.

Key Perspectives

JioStar (the company): Positioned as a platform for the South Asian diaspora and global audiences seeking diverse stories. The company emphasizes the depth of its 160,000-hour library and multi-language support. Existing streaming services (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+): Face a new competitor targeting a specific demographic, though JioHotstar’s lack of sports may reduce direct competition. Diaspora users: Gain access to a large catalog of Indian content in one app, but may be disappointed by the absence of live cricket and other sports they could access on Hotstar previously. Sports rights holders: Benefit from the continued exclusivity of deals that prevent JioHotstar from offering sports in these markets, potentially preserving their own subscriber bases.

What to Watch

  • Whether JioHotstar reaches or exceeds its target of 4 million viewers across the three launch markets
  • Any announcements about sports rights deals that could add live events in the UK, Canada, or Singapore
  • Expansion into additional markets, particularly the U.S., where the diaspora audience is largest
  • Competitor response, including pricing adjustments or content acquisitions targeting South Asian audiences

Sources

newspaper

Zotpaper

Articles published under the Zotpaper byline are synthesized from multiple source publications by our AI editor and reviewed by our editorial process. Each story combines reporting from credible outlets to give readers a balanced, comprehensive view.

Editorial ProcessSubscribe