When Star India launched Hotstar in February 2015 it set out to combine television shows, movies and live sports for Indian viewers on mobile phones — a product built for India’s mobile-first internet boom. A decade later the service that started as Hotstar has been folded into global streaming strategies, merged with a Reliance-backed media conglomerate and rebranded in parts of Asia — reshaping who owns India’s biggest streaming catalogue and where millions of viewers watch cricket, film and TV.
What happened (the short version)
- Hotstar was launched by Star India in 2015 and in 2020 was integrated with Disney’s global streaming brand as Disney+ Hotstar after Disney’s takeover of 21st Century Fox’s India asset
- In a major consolidation of Indian media, Reliance Industries (through its Viacom18 interests) and Disney combined Indian TV and streaming assets in a deal that closed in late 2024, creating a new joint-venture often referred to in coverage as JioStar (the merged TV/streaming group).
- On 14 February 2025 the two leading Indian OTT services — JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar — were merged and launched as a single consumer-facing platform called JioHotstar, combining libraries, sports rights and technology under the new group. Publishers covering the launch said the combined platform would claim hundreds of thousands of hours of content and a user reach measured in crores.
- Outside India, Disney has been simplifying the brand: in October 2025 Disney+ Hotstar operations in several Southeast Asian markets were rebranded simply as Disney+ as part of global streamlining.
Why this matters for Indian viewers
- Single destination for big live sports, regional shows and international studios. The merger aggregates sports rights (including domestic cricket packages such as IPL-related content carried by the merged entity), huge regional libraries in multiple Indian languages, and international studios’ shows and films — meaning more content in one app for many viewers. Coverage at launch emphasised sport and regional-language expansions as priority content pillars.
- Changes to subscriptions and bundles. Mergers and re-launches typically trigger consolidation of subscription plans, operator bundles and cross-promotions with telcos or device-makers. Published reports at the time of the JioHotstar launch explained how existing JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar customers would be transitioned to the new platform and how telecom or device bundles may be used to acquire users. Consumers should check the official JioHotstar FAQs and their payment provider for exact terms.
- Bigger rights and live events on Indian turf. The combined group has signalled its intent to keep marquee live events — from cricket to big concerts — on its platforms. For example, major live-event streams tied to the merged entity were reported in 2025 (a high-profile live concert livestream was one early test case). That matters because live sports and events drive viewership spikes and advertiser interest.
Business and industry impact
- Market consolidation: The Reliance–Disney combination created what many outlets called India’s largest entertainment company by scale (TV channels, streaming users, and sports properties). That consolidation raises competitive stakes for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, SonyLIV and upcoming regional platforms — and could reshape content licensing and ad markets. Financial and business press noted the large size of the combined JV and management reshuffles after the merger.
- Global strategy vs local execution: Disney has been aligning its brand architecture across markets (rebranding Hotstar to Disney+ in some SE Asian markets in October 2025) while in India the local joint-venture operates under a different commercial and operational model to suit a price-sensitive, regionalised market. That split strategy—global brand simplification in some countries, local consolidation in India—reflects the unique economics of India’s streaming market.
- Financial signal from Disney: Disney’s quarterly reports in 2025 show that the company continued to focus on improving streaming economics even as it managed global subscriber dynamics. Those corporate results are part of the backdrop for why Disney chose to reshape its India approach through a strategic partnership rather than sole ownership. (See Disney Q1/Q2 FY2025 reports for details.)
Verified figures & sources (load-bearing claims)
- The Reliance–Disney deal and creation of the new media JV was widely reported and closed in November 2024; Reuters and other major outlets covered the $8.5 billion-valued transaction.
- The consumer product JioHotstar — combining JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar catalogues — was publicly launched 14 February 2025, with outlets such as Mint and Variety reporting the launch and the combined content claims.
- Disney’s corporate investor filings and press releases for fiscal 2025 show the company continuing to report streaming performance as part of its earnings cycle (Disney’s Q1 and Q2 fiscal-2025 releases provide the latest official figures at the company level).
What readers should watch next
- Sporting rights renewals and distribution terms. Who holds what parts of cricket, football and other marquee sport rights in future seasons will shape where fans go to watch — and how much premium subscribers pay for live matches.
- Subscription pricing and bundles. Post-merger product changes, promotional bundles with telcos and device makers, and free-tier strategies will determine how quickly the new platform scales paid users.
- Regulatory and competition watch. Large media consolidations attract regulatory attention and change negotiating leverage with studios, sports bodies and advertisers — outcomes that will be important for the wider ecosystem.
Takeaway
What began as Hotstar in 2015 has, through Disney’s global streaming ambitions and a major India-specific consolidation with Reliance/Viacom18, become part of a very different streaming landscape in 2025. For Indian viewers the immediate upside is simpler access to a larger catalogue — especially live sports and regional language programming — in one place. For the industry it marks a period of consolidation that will likely determine content economics, rights pricing and competitive dynamics for the rest of the decade.
Sources & further reading (selected): Reuters (coverage of Reliance–Disney merger and leadership moves); LiveMint / Mint (coverage of JioHotstar launch and launch FAQs); The Walt Disney Company earnings releases (Q1/Q2 FY2025); Economic Times / AP reporting on platform features and market activity; Variety and Financial Times analysis on strategic and industry impact.
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Last Updated on: Wednesday, October 29, 2025 7:27 pm by Sakethyadav | Published by: Sakethyadav on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 7:27 pm | News Categories: News