Big JioHotstar expansion! Streaming platform lands in MENA with STARZPLAY

Following the strong response to its launches in the UK, Canada and Singapore, the MENA expansion brings one of the world's most important regions for South Asian audiences into JioHotstar's global network, connecting the platform with a vast and multilingual entertainment market.

In partnership with STARZPLAY, JioHotstar will be available as a dedicated streaming destination within the STARZPLAY app and website.

The partnership combines JioHotstar's scale and diverse content library with STARZPLAY's regional reach, audience understanding and streaming expertise.

Audiences across MENA will gain access to new JioHotstar Originals alongside their release in India, with content available in audio tracks in up to 10 languages. The offering will also include popular television content from JioStar TV channels, blockbuster films and some of India's biggest reality franchises, including the upcoming season of Koffee with Karan and the ongoing season of Bigg Boss across six languages.

Spanning Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Bangla and other languages, the content library will feature a substantial Malayalam catalogue, reflecting the importance of the region's Malayali audience.

The JioHotstar experience will be available through STARZPLAY's PLUS plan at AED 34.99 per month, giving subscribers access to its multilingual entertainment library.

The MAX plan, priced at AED 49.99 per month, will combine the complete JioHotstar entertainment offering with STARZPLAY's sports portfolio, bringing entertainment and major sporting events together under one subscription for the entire household.

As the home of cricket in MENA, STARZPLAY's MAX plan will bring its sports portfolio together with JioHotstar's daily entertainment, Originals, reality franchises and films, creating a broader entertainment destination for South Asian audiences and beyond.

Commenting on JioHotstar's expansion into the Middle East, Amit Malhotra, Head – International Business, JioStar, said, "The strong early response to JioHotstar across the UK, Canada and Singapore has reinforced our belief in the global opportunity for Indian entertainment. As we build JioHotstar into a truly global streaming platform, MENA is a crucial next market, with one of the world's largest South Asian diaspora communities and a deep appetite for entertainment across languages."

"Our partnership with STARZPLAY allows us to enter the region with scale and bring audiences the breadth of JioHotstar, from new Originals and daily television to blockbuster films and iconic reality franchises. This is an important step in taking Indian stories, talent and cultural moments to audiences around the world," he added.

Speaking about the partnership, Maaz Sheikh, CEO of STARZPLAY, said, "The next phase of streaming growth in MENA will be shaped by platforms that bring the right brands together and make the viewing experience more valuable. Audiences should not have to navigate an increasingly fragmented market to find the entertainment that matters to them. Bringing JioHotstar to STARZPLAY is a strategic investment in that future, combining the strength of India's storytelling with our understanding of this region and the audiences we serve."

"Cricket has given STARZPLAY a strong and lasting relationship with South Asian audiences across the region. JioHotstar allows us to extend that relationship beyond the match and into the entertainment households return to every day. Our ambition is to make STARZPLAY the destination where every member of the family finds something they value," Sheikh added.

To mark JioHotstar’s arrival in MENA, the launch saw one of the world’s most iconic landmarks, the Burj Khalifa, become the canvas for a spectacular celebration. JioHotstar’s iconic Big Bang illuminated the world’s tallest building in a vivid display of colour and light, bringing the world of infinite possibilities to the heart of Dubai in a spectacle visible across the city’s skyline. The projection brought JioHotstar and STARZPLAY together on the landmark, celebrating the arrival of JioHotstar’s expansive entertainment universe in the region.

From AI-powered personalisation and conversational discovery to interactive entertainment and in-app commerce, JioHotstar continues to explore new ways for audiences to experience content. With MENA joining the UK, Canada and Singapore, JioHotstar is taking its entertainment and its vision for the future of streaming to audiences across Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East, building its presence in each market through the model that best serves its audiences.