Reliance Finalizes “JioStar” As New OTT Platform Following Disney Merger
Mumbai, 13th November 2024: Reliance has officially sealed its deal with Disney, moving forward with plans to launch a new Over-The-Top (OTT) platform named “JioStar,” combining content from both JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar.
Though early reports suggested the name “JioHotstar” for the merged service, a new website, JioStar.com, is now live, displaying a “Coming Soon” banner. This indicates that JioStar will be the finalized name for the platform. While there has been no formal announcement yet from Jio, it appears that preparations for the JioStar OTT platform are progressing swiftly.
The JioStar launch date remains undisclosed, but the unified OTT service will provide content previously available on both JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar. Earlier this year, JioCinema expanded its content, adding shows like Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, Succession, and House of the Dragon, setting up JioCinema as a significant OTT competitor.
With the introduction of JioStar, Reliance is set to intensify competition with established streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in the Indian market.
Interestingly, Dubai-based siblings Jainam and Jeevika offered Reliance the JioHotstar domain free of charge. However, after negotiations with a Delhi-based developer who initially demanded ₹1 crore for the domain, Reliance chose to proceed with the new JioStar branding instead.
