JioHotstar Expands Into MENA Through Starzplay Partnership
JioHotstar enters MENA through Starzplay, offering multilingual Indian shows and AED 34.99 plans, but excluding its own Indian sports catalog in the region.
Summary
On October 6, 2026, Reliance Industries backed JioHotstar, which has more than 500 million monthly active users, announced its MENA expansion through Starzplay, one of the region’s largest streaming services. A dedicated section in Starzplay’s app and website will carry Indian films, television, originals and reality franchises. Unlike its September launches in the U.K., Canada and Singapore, where JioHotstar replaced Hotstar as a stand-alone service, this is a partnership-led entry. New originals will premiere alongside India with audio in up to 10 languages; the Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Bangla catalog includes Bigg Boss and Koffee with Karan, with extra emphasis on Malayalam for MENA’s large Malayali community.
Starzplay Plus includes JioHotstar for AED 34.99, about $9.50 monthly, while AED 49.99, about $13.60, adds Starzplay sports including cricket. JioHotstar’s own Indian sports offering remains unavailable, as in its other overseas markets. Starzplay has more than 2.3 million subscribers and a cricket-supported South Asian audience, giving Reliance access to MENA’s large diaspora. JioHotstar combined JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar following Reliance and Disney’s $8.5 billion Indian media joint venture in 2024, then launched in India in February 2025. Hotstar previously reached MENA through Disney Star’s expanded 2024 distribution deal with evision, e&’s media arm and a major Starzplay shareholder, which made it the regional home of Hotstar Specials. This becomes JioHotstar’s first dedicated regional streaming presence. Financial terms were undisclosed; Starzplay CEO Maaz Sheikh called it a strategic investment.
Positives
- More than 500 million monthly active users give JioHotstar substantial scale as Reliance pursues a global streaming platform.
- New JioHotstar originals will premiere across MENA simultaneously with India, with audio offered in up to 10 languages.
- AED 49.99 monthly bundles JioHotstar with Starzplay sports, including cricket, while the AED 34.99 Plus plan offers a cheaper option.
- Starzplay’s more than 2.3 million subscribers provide immediate distribution and an established South Asian audience.
- Malayalam programming receives added emphasis to serve MENA’s large Malayali community.
Risks & concerns
- JioHotstar’s own Indian sports catalog will remain unavailable across MENA, mirroring its U.K., Canada and Singapore launches.
- JioHotstar is entering MENA through Starzplay rather than offering the stand-alone service available in its other new overseas markets.
- Undisclosed financial terms leave the partnership’s cost, revenue structure and commercial targets unclear.