JioHotstar, the streaming platform owned by Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries, is expanding beyond India's borders for the first time, replacing Hotstar in the U.K., Canada, and Singapore starting September 2. The service will debut with more than 160,000 hours of entertainment programming but won't include the live sports content that has fueled its enormous Indian audience, which includes Indian Premier League cricket, Women's Premier League matches, and Indian national cricket games. JioStar said it can't offer sports at launch because of existing content agreements but hasn't ruled out adding them later.
The absence of sports represents a sharp departure from JioHotstar's Indian offering, where the company reports more than 500 million monthly active users and sports programming serves as a primary draw. In India, the platform broadcasts some of the country's largest cricket competitions along with the English Premier League, tennis tournaments like Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and domestic leagues for kabaddi and hockey. Starting September 2, Hotstar will cease to exist in the U.K., Canada, and Singapore, with JioHotstar taking its place. Users in those three countries will lose access through the Hotstar app, though their current login details will function on JioHotstar. The new app will be available through the App Store and Google Play Store on mobile devices and on connected televisions. Hotstar had operated internationally for years, including in the U.K. and Canada, and previously ran a standalone U.S. service before closing it in 2021. JioHotstar isn't launching in the U.S. as part of this first international expansion, though the company plans to enter more overseas markets over time.
JioHotstar will launch with a collection of Indian films, TV originals, and reality programs like "Bigg Boss," alongside live TV channels under the Star banner including Star Plus, Colors, Star Vijay, Asianet, Star Jalsha, and Star Pravah. The company said content is available in 12 languages, including English, Hindi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, and Marathi, with dubbed versions and translations also offered. JioStar's Head of International Business, Amit Malhotra, stated that "South Asian audiences have a deep connection with Indian entertainment across languages, generations, and households," adding that "audiences globally are increasingly seeking stories and cultures beyond their own." The platform emerged in 2024 when Reliance merged its media properties with Disney to form an $8.5 billion joint venture that combined streaming services Hotstar and JioCinema. At that time, the two services together captured 85% of India's streaming audience.
The pricing structure positions JioHotstar at £19.99 (about $27) quarterly and £69.99 (around $95) annually in the U.K., while Canadian subscriptions cost CA$19.99 (about $14) quarterly and CA$49.99 (around $36) yearly. Singapore pricing sits at SG$29.98 (about $24) for three months and SG$69.98 (around $55) for a year. These prices mirror what Hotstar charged, but JioHotstar will deliver only entertainment content at launch, meaning customers wanting sports may need to purchase another service. By contrast, JioHotstar subscriptions in India start at ₹79 (about $0.80) monthly for viewing on one mobile device and rise to ₹2,199 (around $23) yearly for the premium tier. Data from India's Ministry of External Affairs suggests the service could reach a target audience exceeding 4 million people across the three launch countries, with some content potentially appealing to the wider South Asian diaspora. The company plans to expand into additional international markets gradually, though it hasn't disclosed specific timelines or locations. Launching without sports abroad positions the service primarily as a cultural bridge for diaspora communities rather than a broad entertainment competitor. The platform's success will likely hinge on whether entertainment content alone can command subscription prices previously justified by marquee sporting events.