JioStar is set to invest $10 billion in Indian content over three years, according to Vice Chairman Uday Shankar speaking at the WAVES summit. Speaking at the event, Shankar emphasized the need for more content tailored to Indian audiences and highlighted the industry's growth potential, projecting continued expansion over the next 15 years, driven by deeper distribution and customized content creation. This substantial investment commitment comes as the company continues its strategic focus on regional content and profitability across its media and entertainment portfolio.
JioStar, the media and entertainment arm of Reliance Industries Ltd, is deliberately backing stories that extend beyond India's major metros to resonate with audiences across diverse sub-cultures and economic segments. According to Mint, a senior executive noted that the company is taking a selective, considered approach to greenlighting content across films, linear television, and streaming platforms, with a strong focus on profitability as viewers turn increasingly screen-agnostic. Alok Jain, head-Hindi and English entertainment business, explained that there was a time five to six years ago when the industry was expanding the market and wanted to see what would work, but now the company has a strong view on what it wants to do and is looking closely at how to make it profitable over a period of time.
JioStar, formed by the merger of Reliance's Viacom18 and The Walt Disney Co.'s Disney Star, reported a 14.5% year-on-year increase in net profit to ₹665 crore in the June quarter. As reported by Mint, the platform now plans to strengthen its regional language slate with Bhojpuri Bawaal, a Bhojpuri reality show, riding on the success of Chiraiya, which was the tenth most-watched OTT property in the first six months of 2026 according to Ormax. The company's $10 billion investment commitment over three years reflects confidence in India's content market growth and the need for deeper distribution and customized content creation.
The moves come at a time when the Indian OTT industry is struggling with content clutter and limited ad and subscription revenues. As reported by Mint, major platforms have slashed budgets by 50% since the peak of the pandemic and active paid subscriptions have flattened as user growth leans more towards ad-supported models. However, broadcasters anticipate a recovery in FY26, driven by easing churn, new pay-TV subscribers, and industry consolidation. The resurgence of FTA channels on DD Free Dish is expected to boost advertising revenue, particularly in rural areas, while linear TV shows signs of strength despite advertising revenue remaining under pressure due to macroeconomic factors.
According to Mint, JioStar enjoys a strong market position, with Partho Dasgupta, managing partner of Thoth Advisors, noting that network strength always works and the company's dominant position in the market along with scale will help the overall entity in the long run, especially when offerings are bundled along with properties like the IPL. The company's strategy of programming for 'many Indias' within India's young, large and culturally diverse population reflects the importance of understanding smaller cohorts deeply and creating content that resonates with diverse sub-cultures and economic segments. With the industry's growth potential projected over the next 15 years, JioStar's substantial investment commitment positions it well for the evolving media landscape.
