India's JioStar launched its JioHotstar streaming brand in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Singapore on September 2, replacing the existing Hotstar service in those three markets. The rollout brings more than 160,000 hours of content across more than 12 Asian languages, along with a redesigned app experience built around personalization and real-time viewer engagement.
According to Variety, the service carries the full content library and product experience of JioHotstar's India platform. It is available on mobile and connected TV, with the app downloadable through the App Store and Google Play Store in all three markets. Android users in the U.K., Canada, and Singapore can complete sign-up entirely inside the app.
At launch, the service will include existing Hotstar Originals such as Asur, Special Ops, Criminal Justice, Heartbeat, and Resort, alongside recent films including Dhurandhar, 12th Fail, and Chhichhore. JioStar is also launching a new slate of originals, including Ali Baba Aur Chaalis Bhoot, Prince of Mollywood, Part Timers, and The Court.
One of the more interactive additions is the return of the reality franchise Bigg Boss, available across six languages. For the first time, viewers in Singapore, Canada, and the U.K. will be able to cast live votes throughout each edition. Audiences in Canada and the U.K. will also have access to a 24-hour live feed, while Canadian subscribers can watch Bigg Boss Hindi seven days ahead of its television broadcast.
A new game show, India Ka Top 1 Percent, hosted by actor Anil Kapoor, will be available to audiences in Canada and Singapore. Deadline described the format as one that tests contestants' logic and reasoning. Viewers in Singapore and Canada will also receive Before-TV access to popular shows including Anupama and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, while U.K. audiences can watch popular shows simultaneously with their television broadcast.
One notable omission from the launch package is the Indian Premier League cricket tournament. Variety reported that while JioStar owns the Indian broadcast rights to the IPL and other cricket competitions, those will not be included in the initial international offering.
The subscription structure has also changed. Deadline reported that JioStar appears to be moving away from monthly plans outside India. In the U.K., pricing will be set at 19.99 British pounds per quarter or 69.99 pounds annually. In Canada, the service costs 19.99 Canadian dollars quarterly or 49.99 annually. In Singapore, pricing is set at 29.98 Singapore dollars per quarter or 69.98 annually. Existing U.K. subscribers on monthly plans will be able to continue under those terms until their plan renews.
Amit Malhotra, Head of International Business at JioStar, explained the company's thinking in a statement. "Streaming has spent the last decade competing on the size of its catalogue. We believe the bigger opportunity now is to reimagine how audiences experience entertainment; not just what they watch, but how they discover, engage with and shape the experience in real time," he said. He added that the company sees an opportunity to build for "this broader, underserved global audience — not simply export an Indian streaming service to new markets."
JioStar plans to add 30,000 hours of fresh content annually to the platform.