JioHotstar has officially commenced operations in the UK, Canada and Singapore, marking a significant expansion of the Indian streaming platform's global footprint. According to reports from CNBC TV18, the platform will begin streaming content across mobile and connected TV platforms, with apps accessible on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store across all three markets. Trusted by more than 500 million active users, JioHotstar has built one of the world's largest entertainment ecosystems, combining premium storytelling, consumer-first product experiences and innovation at scale. As per Moneycontrol, the company recognises an opportunity to serve both South Asian audiences abroad and global viewers who are interested in diverse narratives and cultures.
JioHotstar's entertainment catalogue features over 160,000 hours of content across more than 12 languages with personalised recommendations, interactive features and flexible subscription options. As reported by CNBC TV18, the platform offers television, films, regional programming, non-fiction, kids and anime content. Pricing varies by market, with the UK priced at £19.99 quarterly and £69.99 annually, Canada at C$19.99 quarterly and C$49.99 annually, and Singapore at S$29.98 quarterly and S$69.98 annually. The Singapore service features subtitles and dubs across 12+ Asian languages, including English, Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, and more, making content more accessible across communities and generations. For the first time, JioHotstar is introducing new quarterly subscription plans across all three markets, giving audiences a shorter-duration option to access the platform alongside annual plans.
JioHotstar will incorporate interactive features for selected programmes, allowing audiences in the UK, Canada, and Singapore to engage with these features as part of the launch. According to CNBC TV18, subscribers in Canada and the UK will also have access to a 24/7 live feed of the show, while Canadian viewers can watch the Hindi version of flagship shows before it airs on television. The platform will feature content from JioStar's television channels, including Star Plus, Colours, Star Vijay, Asianet, Star Jalsha, and Star Pravah. In Canada and Singapore, certain shows will be accessible before their television premiere, while viewers in the UK will be able to watch them concurrently with TV broadcasts. New originals include The Court, Ali Baba Aur Chaalis Bhoot, Prince of Mollywood, Part Timers and more, while a new game format features Anil Kapoor hosting India Ka Top 1 Percent, premiering on September 5th.
According to Moneycontrol, Amit Malhotra, head of international business at JioStar, emphasized that streaming services have spent the last decade competing on catalogue size, but the bigger opportunity now lies in reimagining how audiences experience entertainment. Malhotra noted that Singapore is a deeply multilingual and diverse market, with a significant South Asian audience and strong affinity for Indian entertainment. The platform brings this diversity together on one platform, offering diaspora audiences and global viewers a rich world of entertainment. Existing Hotstar subscribers will transition seamlessly without any service disruption using their current credentials, while new users can sign up directly via the App Store and Google Play Store across mobile and connected TV devices. The updated app also streamlines the onboarding journey, allowing Android users across all three regions to subscribe directly within the app.
JioHotstar's product interface is built to make discovery effortless and viewing deeply immersive for audiences across the UK, Canada and Singapore. Designed with an intuitive, modern UI/UX and powered by ultra-personalized recommendation engines, the platform adapts seamlessly to individual viewing habits. The platform offers high-quality subtitles and dubs across 12+ Asian languages, including English, Hindi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, and more, ensuring world-class entertainment is more inclusive and interactive. Available across mobile and Connected TV, JioHotstar is designed to give audiences the flexibility to experience entertainment wherever and however they choose. The platform continues to explore new ways for audiences to experience content, from conversational voice discovery and AI-powered personalisation to in-app commerce and interactive entertainment.
As reported by Moneycontrol, JioHotstar plans to continuously expand with over 30,000 hours of fresh content added annually. The platform is designed to resonate deeply with the South Asian diaspora while appealing to broader global audiences seeking diverse stories, languages and cultures. Malhotra indicated that as the platform expands internationally, it will showcase what becomes possible when scale, language, cultural diversity, personalisation and deeper audience participation are built into the streaming experience from day one. JioHotstar's ambition is to build for this broader, underserved global audience – not simply export an Indian streaming service to new markets. This international expansion represents JioHotstar's latest initiative to enhance its global streaming business following the merger of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar under the JioStar umbrella.
