JioHotstar is expanding its international presence into the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), partnering with STARZPLAY to bring its Indian entertainment catalogue to audiences across the region. Under the partnership, JioHotstar will be available as a dedicated streaming destination within the STARZPLAY app and website. The move follows its expansion into the UK, Canada and Singapore, adding MENA as the latest market in its growing international footprint.
The offering brings together JioHotstar Originals with popular television content from JioStar channels, films and reality franchises. Viewers will also get access to upcoming titles such as the next season of Koffee with Karan and the ongoing Bigg Boss season across six languages. Content will span Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Bangla and other Indian languages, with audio tracks available in up to 10 languages. A substantial Malayalam catalogue will also be part of the offering, reflecting the region’s large Malayali audience.
The JioHotstar experience will be available through STARZPLAY’s PLUS plan at AED 34.99 per month. The MAX plan, priced at AED 49.99 per month, combines the JioHotstar entertainment offering with STARZPLAY’s sports portfolio, bringing entertainment and sports together under a single subscription. For JioStar, the MENA launch extends its international strategy into a market with a significant South Asian audience and established demand for Indian entertainment.
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.”
Maaz Sheikh, CEO, 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.”
He added, “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.”
The launch was also marked in Dubai with JioHotstar’s Big Bang projected onto the Burj Khalifa, bringing the two brands together through a large-scale visual display. With MENA now joining the UK, Canada and Singapore, JioHotstar is continuing to build its international footprint by adapting its market entry strategy to local audiences while taking Indian entertainment to a wider global audience.
