JioHotstar Expands Beyond India, Replacing Hotstar in the U.K., Canada, and Singapore
JioHotstar is officially stepping onto the global stage. The Reliance Industries-backed streaming platform is expanding outside India for the first time, with plans to replace Hotstar in the U.K., Canada, and Singapore starting September 2.
The move marks a major international push for one of India’s biggest digital entertainment platforms. However, the global version of JioHotstar will launch with one noticeable difference from its Indian service: live sports will not be available at the beginning.
JioHotstar to launch internationally with 160,000 hours of content
At launch, JioHotstar will offer more than 160,000 hours of entertainment programming across films, television shows, originals, reality series, and live TV channels. The catalog will focus heavily on Indian entertainment, giving overseas audiences access to a wide range of content in multiple languages.
Viewers can expect popular Indian reality shows such as Bigg Boss, along with programming from major Star network channels, including Star Plus, Colors, Star Vijay, Asianet, Star Jalsha, and Star Pravah.
The platform will offer content in 12 languages, including English, Hindi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, and Marathi. Dubs and translations will also be available, helping JioHotstar reach not only Indian viewers abroad but also a wider audience interested in South Asian stories and culture.
No IPL or live cricket at global launch
While JioHotstar is known in India for its massive sports coverage, the international version will begin without major live sports events. That means audiences in the U.K., Canada, and Singapore will not get access to the Indian Premier League, Women’s Premier League, or Indian national cricket matches at launch.
Sports have been a major reason behind JioHotstar’s huge popularity in India, where the platform says it has more than 500 million monthly active users. In India, the service streams major cricket tournaments as well as events from football, tennis, kabaddi, hockey, and other sports.
The company said sports are not included in the initial international rollout due to existing content agreements. However, it has not ruled out adding sports programming in the future.
Hotstar to be replaced by JioHotstar
From September 2, Hotstar will no longer operate as a separate service in the U.K., Canada, and Singapore. Existing Hotstar users in these countries will need to move to the JioHotstar app, but they will be able to continue using their current login credentials.
The JioHotstar app will be available on mobile devices through major app stores and on connected TV platforms. This should make the transition relatively simple for existing subscribers while introducing the refreshed brand to new viewers.
Hotstar has had an international presence for several years, particularly in markets with large South Asian communities. It previously operated as a standalone streaming service in the United States as well, but that version was discontinued in 2021. The U.S. is not included in this first phase of JioHotstar’s global launch, though the company plans to enter more international markets over time.
Why the U.K., Canada, and Singapore matter
The U.K., Canada, and Singapore are important markets for Indian entertainment because of their sizable South Asian populations. Based on Indian government diaspora data, JioHotstar could have a potential target audience of more than 4 million people across these three countries.
Beyond the Indian diaspora, the platform may also appeal to viewers who are increasingly exploring international films, regional dramas, and culturally diverse storytelling. Indian streaming content has grown significantly in global popularity, with audiences showing interest in everything from Bollywood films to regional cinema and long-running television dramas.
Amit Malhotra, JioStar’s Head of International Business, said South Asian audiences have a strong emotional connection with Indian entertainment across languages and generations. He also noted that global viewers are increasingly open to stories from cultures outside their own, creating an opportunity for JioHotstar to serve a broader audience rather than simply exporting an Indian streaming product.
JioHotstar subscription prices in the U.K., Canada, and Singapore
JioHotstar’s international pricing will remain close to Hotstar’s existing rates in these markets, even though sports will not be part of the launch offering.
In the U.K., JioHotstar will cost £19.99 for a quarterly subscription or £69.99 for an annual plan.
In Canada, the service will be priced at CA$19.99 quarterly or CA$49.99 annually.
In Singapore, subscribers will pay SG$29.98 for a quarterly plan or SG$69.98 for a yearly subscription.
By comparison, JioHotstar remains much cheaper in India, where plans start at ₹79 per month for mobile viewing and go up to ₹2,199 per year for the highest-tier package.
Because sports will be missing from the international launch, some viewers may need to subscribe to other services separately if they want live cricket or other major sporting events.
Reliance and Disney’s streaming merger shaped JioHotstar
JioHotstar was created after Reliance merged its media business with Disney’s India assets in 2024, forming a joint venture valued at $8.5 billion. As part of that deal, Hotstar and JioCinema were combined into one platform for Indian users.
Together, the two services had already captured a dominant share of India’s streaming market, accounting for a large majority of the country’s streaming audience. The launch of JioHotstar outside India now signals the company’s ambition to build a stronger global presence in digital entertainment.
What JioHotstar’s global launch means for viewers
For viewers in the U.K., Canada, and Singapore, the arrival of JioHotstar means a broader and more unified destination for Indian entertainment. Existing Hotstar users will see the familiar service replaced by a new platform with a larger brand identity and a deeper content catalog.
The lack of live sports may disappoint cricket fans, especially those who followed IPL and international matches through Hotstar. Still, the platform’s entertainment library could make it an attractive choice for families, regional-language audiences, and fans of Indian films, serials, and reality shows.
JioHotstar’s first international launch is a significant step in taking Indian streaming content to a wider global audience. If the platform later adds sports, it could become an even stronger competitor in overseas streaming markets.
