The joint venture between Viacom18 and Star India, JioStar, has announced the launch of JioHotstar on February 14. The new streaming platform merges the contents between Jio Cinema and Disney+ Hotstar. Moreover, the platform introduces new features while extending its content catalogue to maximise the viewing experience.

The merger of JioHotstar

Kiran Mani, chief executive officer-digital, JioStar, said the move seeks to offer extensive content sampling. “The idea is to allow every consumer to sample our content extensively. JioHotstar invites everyone to come and watch their favourite content without the need for a subscription. We want users to experience a full journey, whether it’s a cricket match or a popular TV series.” With content catering to over 1.4 billion citizens in 10 languages, JioHotstar will allow viewers to catch their favourite shows, movies and live sports on a single app.

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Keniv Vaz, CEO, Entertainment, JioStar, also echoed similar sentiments. He said, “JioHotstar is setting a new benchmark for digital-first entertainment. The platform is immersive, inclusive, and audience centric. While we have endless entertainment to offer, we are committed to continually innovate and elevate storytelling, ensuring that every Indian, regardless of language, discovers content they love.”

Content catalogue

Apart from original content, JioHotstar will now aggregate content from several other content developers. These include NBCUniversal Peacock, Warner Bros, Discovery, HBO, and Paramount. This will give the new platform an edge over the OTT marketplace, making it the only streaming service to offer such an expansive catalogue of global content.

Additionally, the platform has introduced Sparks. It is a new initiative that will feature India’s biggest digital creators.

For sports enthusiasts, the platform will offer a range of sports streaming options. The platform will host premier cricket tournaments such as IPL, WPL, and ICC events. Moreover, coming to global sporting events, fans can catch tournaments like the Premier League, Wimbledon, Pro Kabaddi, and ISL.

The platform also will offer 4K streaming and advanced features. This includes AI-powered insights, real-time stats overlays, multi-angle viewing, and special interest feeds. With the move, the platform will enhance real-time viewing of live content.

Existing users and the subscription model

Kevin Vaz assured that existing Disney+ Hotstar subscribers will automatically switch to the new platform, without any change. Existing Disney+ Hotstar subscribers will continue with their current plans. The plans are as follows: mobile (₹149), Super (₹299), and Premium (Ad-Free) (₹349), for three months.

Meanwhile, JioCinema Premium subscribers will be shifted to JioHotstar Premium for the remaining duration of their plans. On the other hand, JioCinema users will be automatically upgraded to premium access. “Our pricing remains familiar—for example, Rs 149 for mobile subscriptions for a quarter and Rs 499 a quarter for the ad-free experience.”

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With the new move, JioHotstar shakes up the OTT consumption landscape, offering a plethora of content on a single platform.