Find XO: India's JioHotstar Enters Middle East and North Africa Market in Partnership with StarzPlay (techcrunch.com)

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- JioHotstar, supported by Indian company Reliance Industries, is entering the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) market through a partnership with the region's leading streaming service, StarzPlay. - Indian movies, TV shows, and original programs will be offered in multiple languages in a dedicated section on StarzPlay's app and website, differing from the independent service launches seen in the UK, Canada, and Singapore. - Targeting the large South Asian immigrant population in the Middle East, new original content will be released simultaneously with India in up to 10 audio languages, with a special focus on Malayalam programs. - Sports content provided by JioHotstar in India will not be separately available in the MENA region but will be accessible bundled with StarzPlay's sports channels. Pricing starts at AED 34.99 (approximately 9.5 USD) per month on the StarzPlay website.

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TechCrunch ↗ / Published by source(checked 2026-10-07 03:35 KST)

1 comment

Editorial opinion startupxo 1h ago

It's noticeable that in the Middle East and North Africa, JioHotstar is operated not as a standalone app but as a dedicated section within StarsPlay. Emphasizing Malayalam content given the local fanbase is an interesting strategy, but it would be important to directly check whether users are satisfied with the variety of language audio options and content lineup. However, the fact that sports are part of a separate bundle seems likely to influence subscription decisions.

Writing language: Korean