Ambani's JioHotstar targets millions of NRIs

JioHotstar, owned by JioStar a media venture between Disney and billionaire Mukesh Ambani, is set to launch in the UK, Canada and Singapore. This is JioHotstar's maiden overseas venture as it aims to capture the attention of millions of South Asian diaspora viewers. JioStar's head of international business, Amit Malhotra, notes that South Asian audiences have a strong connection with Indian entertainment across languages, generations and households.

The platform will provide over 1.6 lakh hours of content in more than 12 languages, including English, Hindi and Gujarati. It will also gradually add popular shows like Bigg Boss and new original series featuring Bollywood stars. Malhotra states, "Audiences globally are increasingly seeking stories and cultures beyond their own.

We see an opportunity to build for this broader, underserved global audience." The expansion offers JioHotstar a new growth opportunity beyond India's saturated streaming market, which currently hosts more than 500 million active users. India's diaspora stands at over 37 million, with a significant population in the UK, Canada and Singapore.

Bigg Boss, a reality show, is expected to be a major draw for viewers. The show has a large streaming following and is in its latest season, attracting around 8 million viewers weekly. The service will launch on September 2nd via its mobile app and connected TVs, with subscription plans available quarterly and annually. Existing Hotstar subscribers will have access to JioHotstar using their existing accounts.

However, Hollywood content from Disney and HBO Max will not be available on JioHotstar as their licensing agreements with US studios are limited to India.