JioStar has launched its JioHotstar streaming brand in the UK, Canada and Singapore, replacing the existing Hotstar service and rolling out upgraded interactive and user-experience features across those three markets. The move, effective 2 September, forms part of a wider push to build a global streaming offering aimed particularly at the South Asian diaspora while also attracting broader international audiences, according to the company.

The relaunch brings over 160,000 hours of content to the three markets, including Hotstar Originals such as Asur and Criminal Justice, films including Dhurandhar and 12th Fail, and the Bigg Boss reality franchise across six languages with live voting. Regional features vary: UK and Canadian viewers get a 24/7 live feed, Canadian audiences can watch Bigg Boss Hindi a week before its TV airing, and UK subscribers gain simultaneous streaming of shows with their broadcast. JioHotstar is also moving away from monthly subscriptions outside India, instead offering quarterly and annual plans priced at £19.99/£69.99 in the UK, CAD19.99/CAD49.99 in Canada, and SGD29.98/SGD69.98 in Singapore, though existing UK monthly subscribers can keep their plans until renewal. The service, formed from the merger of Disney India and Reliance's Mukesh Ambani-led group, already has more than 500 million monthly active users globally.