JioHotstar to launch in Middle East and North Africa through partnership with STARZPLAY

JioHotstar is expanding to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and the move has been officially announced. The streaming platform, counted among India's popular ones, is adding the region to its fast-growing international presence.

JioHotstar has earlier launched in the UK, Canada and Singapore, where the response from users was very good. With the MENA entry, its global presence now extends to a region that is among the most important in the world for South Asian audiences.

The company has entered a special partnership with STARZPLAY for the purpose. Under it, JioHotstar will be available as a separate streaming destination within the STARZPLAY app and website. The partnership brings together JioHotstar's wide reach and variety with STARZPLAY's presence in the region, understanding of audiences and expertise in the streaming sector.

Viewers in MENA will be able to watch new JioHotstar Originals alongside their release in India, with audio tracks in up to 10 languages. Popular TV programmes, blockbuster films and some of the country's biggest reality show franchises from JioStar's TV channels will also be available. These include the upcoming season of Koffee with Karan and Bigg Boss, which will be offered in six languages. The languages include Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and others. A large collection of Malayalam content is also reported to be available, reflecting the importance of Malayali viewers in the region.

On pricing, JioHotstar's monthly plan within STARZPLAY's Plus plan is AED 34.99, while the Max plan costs AED 49.99 a month. Subscribers will be able to take the full entertainment offering together with STARZPLAY's sports portfolio. The Max plan includes JioHotstar's everyday entertainment, Originals, reality franchises and films.

Amit Malhotra, Head, International Business at JioStar, said the strong response to JioHotstar in the UK, Canada and Singapore had strengthened the company's belief in the global opportunity for Indian entertainment. According to him, the expansion to the Middle East and North Africa is an important step towards taking Indian stories, talent and cultural moments to audiences around the world.