The OTT platform JioHotstar has expanded its international presence by entering the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) market through collaboration with Starzplay.
Previously, in September of this year, the platform also launched in the markets of the UK, Canada, and Singapore. This partnership combines the scale and diversity of JioHotstar with the regional reach, audience understanding, and streaming expertise possessed by Starzplay, according to an official statement.
Now, viewers in the MENA region will be able to access new original JioHotstar projects simultaneously with their release in India. The content will be available in audio tracks in over 10 languages. The offering will also include popular television programs from JioStar TV channels, blockbusters, and reality show franchises.
The service will offer content in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, and other Indian languages. Special attention is paid to the extensive Malayalam library, reflecting the significance of the audience from the Malayalam state.
Amit Malhotra, Head of International Business at JioStar, noted that the strong initial response to JioHotstar in the UK, Canada, and Singapore reinforced the company's belief in the global potential of Indian entertainment. He emphasized that MENA is a critically important next market because it hosts one of the largest South Asian diaspora communities and there is a high demand for entertainment content in various languages.
Starzplay operates as a Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) service in the Middle East and North Africa, providing a mix of Hollywood blockbusters, exclusive original productions, Arabic series, popular Turkish dramas, sports broadcasts, and family programming. The service boasts over 2.3 million subscribers and more than 18 million app downloads.
Maaz Sheikh, CEO of Starzplay, stated that the next phase of streaming growth in MENA will be defined by platforms that combine suitable brands and enhance viewing value. He added that viewers should not have to search for the content they need in an increasingly fragmented market. The addition of JioHotstar to Starzplay is viewed as a strategic investment in this future, combining the strength of Indian storytelling with an understanding of the region and its audience.
Currently, JioHotstar has 500 million monthly active users and possesses a library exceeding 300,000 hours of content available in 19 languages. This content covers films, original projects, live sports broadcasts, live events, anime, children's entertainment, and television shows.