06 October 2026
JioHotstar Expands Its International Footprint with Entry into MENA
~ Following its launches in the UK, Canada and Singapore, JioHotstar partners with STARZPLAY to bring its expansive entertainment universe to audiences across the Middle East and North Africa ~
Mumbai, 6th October 2026: JioHotstar, India’s largest streaming platform, today announced its entry into the Middle East and North Africa, the newest addition to its rapidly growing international footprint. Following the phenomenal response to its launch across the UK, Canada and Singapore, the MENA entry brings one of the world’s most important regions for South Asian audiences into JioHotstar’s global presence, connecting the platform with a vast, multilingual entertainment market. In partnership with STARZPLAY, JioHotstar will be available as a dedicated streaming destination within the STARZPLAY app and website.
The partnership brings together the scale and diversity of JioHotstar with STARZPLAY’s regional reach, audience understanding and streaming expertise. Audiences across MENA will now gain access to new JioHotstar Originals alongside their release in India with the content offering audio-tracks in up to 10 languages, popular television content from JioStar TV channels, blockbuster films and some of the country’s biggest reality franchises, including the upcoming season of Koffee with Karan, and the ongoing season of Bigg Boss across six languages. Spanning Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Bangla and other languages, the offering includes a substantial Malayalam catalogue reflecting the importance of the region’s Malayali audience.
The JioHotstar experience will be available through STARZPLAY’s PLUS plan at AED 34.99 per month, giving audiences access to its multilingual library. The MAX plan, priced at AED 49.99 per month, combines the complete JioHotstar entertainment offering with STARZPLAY’s sports portfolio, bringing entertainment and major sporting events together in one subscription for the whole household. As the home of cricket in MENA, the MAX plan brings this sports portfolio together with JioHotstar’s daily entertainment, originals, reality franchises and films, creating a more complete entertainment destination for South Asian audiences and beyond.
Commenting on JioHotstar’s expansion into the Middle East, 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.”
Speaking about the partnership, Maaz Sheikh, CEO of 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.”
“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,” Maaz added.
To mark JioHotstar’s arrival in MENA, the launch saw one of the world’s most iconic landmarks, the Burj Khalifa, become the canvas for a spectacular celebration. JioHotstar’s iconic Big Bang illuminated the world’s tallest building in a vivid display of colour and light, bringing the world of infinite possibilities to the heart of Dubai in a spectacle visible across the city’s skyline. The projection brought JioHotstar and STARZPLAY together on the landmark, celebrating the arrival of JioHotstar’s expansive entertainment universe in the region.
From AI-powered personalisation and conversational discovery to interactive entertainment and in-app commerce, JioHotstar continues to explore new ways for audiences to experience content. With MENA joining the UK, Canada and Singapore, JioHotstar is taking its entertainment and its vision for the future of streaming to audiences across Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East, building its presence in each market through the model that best serves its audiences.
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About STARZPLAY
STARZPLAY (www.starzplay.com) is the leading subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service across the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan, delivering a premium mix of Hollywood blockbusters, exclusive original productions, Arabic series, popular Turkish dramas, live sports, and family-friendly programming.
With strategic partnerships including major global studios such as Warner Bros., Disney, Paramount, Sony, Lionsgate, AMC, BBC, Falcon Films, and Image Nation Studios—its primary production partner for STARZPLAY Originals—the platform offers an extensive library tailored specifically to regional tastes. STARZPLAY also provides top-tier Turkish content through collaborations with MADD TV, TRT, and ATV, and showcases elite live sports coverage including Italian Serie A, Dutch Eredivisie, UFC, cricket, rugby, boxing, golf, and basketball.
With 2.3 million subscribers and more than 18 million app downloads, STARZPLAY is continually reshaping the digital entertainment landscape. The platform delivers high-quality streaming in HD and 4K on smart TVs, gaming consoles, and IPTV services, complemented by user-friendly iOS and Android apps supporting offline viewing. Leveraging advanced AI-driven recommendations and interactive offerings—including Fantasy Sports gaming, STARZ ON (ad-supported free streaming), and STARZPLAY Store (premium content rentals and purchases)—STARZPLAY ensures a personalized entertainment experience for every viewer.
Headquartered in Abu Dhabi with additional offices in the UAE and Pakistan, STARZPLAY is backed by renowned international and regional investors led by evision (part of e& Group), along with ADQ, Lionsgate, GE, and SEQ — further solidifying its market leadership across the MENA region and beyond.
Instagram: @starzplayarabia | X: @STARZPlayArabia | LinkedIn: STARZPLAY
About JioHotstar
JioHotstar is a global streaming platform and, with 500 million monthly active users and a library of more than 300,000 hours of programming, one of the largest streaming services in the world. Content is available in 19 languages, spanning movies, originals, live sports, live events, anime, kids’ entertainment and TV shows from more than 100 channels in the JioStar network. JioHotstar reaches audiences across India and international markets, including the UK, Canada, Singapore and MENA, and is available across Android, iOS, connected-TV and web platforms.
For media queries, please reach out to –
Saraswati Salunke, Director – Corporate & Brand Communications, JioStar | saraswati.salunke@jiostar.com | +91-9833711366
Swati Varma, Assistant Manager – Corporate & Brand Communications, JioStar | swati.varma@jiostar.com