JioHotstar has officially expanded beyond India, launching its streaming platform in the United Kingdom, Canada and Singapore. The international rollout marks a major step in JioStar’s plans to turn JioHotstar into a global entertainment platform, with a strong focus on Indian content and the South Asian diaspora.
The new service replaces the existing Hotstar offering in these three markets and brings a wider catalogue, personalised recommendations, interactive features and new subscription options.
JioHotstar Brings 160,000+ Hours of Content Overseas
At launch, JioHotstar will offer more than 160,000 hours of entertainment across 12+ languages. The catalogue covers Indian television, films, regional programming, original series, reality shows, non-fiction, children’s content and anime.
The platform has also said it plans to add more than 30,000 hours of fresh content every year, giving international subscribers access to a continuously expanding library.
The service is aimed primarily at South Asian audiences living in the UK, Canada and Singapore, while also targeting international viewers interested in Indian stories, regional languages and diverse cultures.
Bigg Boss Gets an Interactive Upgrade
One of the biggest attractions of the international launch is Bigg Boss.
For the first time, viewers in the UK, Canada and Singapore will be able to vote live across the show’s six language editions. This gives international viewers a more direct role in the reality show’s weekly proceedings.
Subscribers in the UK and Canada will also get access to a 24/7 Bigg Boss live feed. Canadian viewers will have another advantage, with access to Bigg Boss Hindi seven days before its television broadcast.
The move is part of JioHotstar’s larger push toward interactive entertainment rather than simply offering a traditional streaming library.
New Shows and Major Indian Content
The international launch comes with a lineup of new originals, including Ali Baba Aur Chaalis Bhoot, Prince of Mollywood, Part Timers and The Court, along with several movie premieres planned through the year.
The platform will also carry popular JioHotstar titles and franchises such as Criminal Justice, Special Ops, Asur, Aarya, Kerala Crime Files, Khatron Ke Khiladi, Koffee with Karan, MTV Hustle, Splitsvilla, Laughter Chefs and Roadies.
Movies including Dhurandhar, 12th Fail, Chhichhore, Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh and Kill are also part of the international entertainment offering.
Star Channels Also Part of the International Offering
JioHotstar is not limiting the overseas service to its OTT originals and movies. Content from several JioStar television networks will also be available.
The offering includes programming from Star Plus, Colors, Star Vijay, Asianet, Star Jalsha and Star Pravah.
Subscribers in Canada and Singapore will get early access to selected shows, including Anupama and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai. In the UK, selected programmes will be available alongside their television broadcasts.
The platform will also support subtitles and dubbing across multiple Asian languages, including English, Hindi, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada and Marathi.
JioHotstar Launches Without Live Sports
One notable difference between the Indian and international versions is sports.
The international launch does not include major live sporting properties such as the IPL and other cricket competitions, despite sports being one of JioHotstar’s biggest audience drivers in India. Existing content rights are a major factor behind the decision.
This means the international JioHotstar launch is currently focused almost entirely on entertainment, television and Indian storytelling.
New Subscription Plans for International Viewers
JioHotstar has introduced quarterly subscription plans in all three markets, alongside annual options.
Reported launch pricing includes:
- UK: £19.99 quarterly / £69.99 annually
- Canada: C$19.99 quarterly / C$49.99 annually
- Singapore: S$29.98 quarterly / S$69.98 annually
Existing Hotstar subscribers in these markets can use their current login credentials and transition to the equivalent JioHotstar plan without losing service continuity. In the UK, existing customers can continue with their current monthly subscriptions as long as auto-renewal remains active.
A Bigger Global Ambition for JioHotstar
The launch represents more than a simple rebranding of Hotstar. JioStar is positioning JioHotstar as a global streaming service built around personalisation, interactive viewing and India’s increasingly international entertainment appeal.
The platform is also developing features such as AI-powered personalisation, conversational voice discovery and interactive entertainment. JioHotstar currently has more than 500 million active users, making its international expansion one of the company’s most significant moves in the global streaming market.
For millions of Indians and other South Asian viewers living overseas, the arrival of JioHotstar could make Indian television, regional cinema and reality entertainment considerably easier to access through a single platform.
With the UK, Canada and Singapore now added to its international footprint, JioHotstar is clearly looking beyond India — and its next challenge will be turning its massive domestic streaming success into a sustainable global entertainment business.
