“We have crossed 200 million paying subscribers. That makes us one of the biggest streaming services anywhere in the world,” Uday Shankar, vice chairman of JioStar, a joint venture between Reliance Industries, Walt Disney, and Bodhi Tree, told Bloomberg.
This growth is attributed in large part to marquee cricket properties such as the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) and the ICC Champions Trophy. JioHotstar emerged following the merger of Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema.
According to industry sources, a significant share of the subscriber base came through bundled offerings with telecom partners, including Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea. The platform has also added a considerable number of direct subscribers.
Launched on February 14, the merged platform began with 50 million paid subscribers. Since then, it has added 150 million more, reaching a total of 200 million.
In March, JioHotstar crossed 100 million paid subscribers, reinforcing its status as India’s leading streaming service. The platform competes with global giants like Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube in India’s hyper-competitive streaming industry.JioHotstar offers a wide array of content, including international series, Hollywood films, TV shows, regional specials, and original digital programming. On the sports front, it has introduced innovations such as 4K streaming, AI-powered features, and multi-angle viewing during major events like the IPL and ICC tournaments.Beyond sports, JioHotstar has been at the center of high-profile live-streamed moments in India, including the Coldplay concert and Mahashivratri celebrations.
