Indian streaming platform JioHotstar hits play on Singapore expansion

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JioHotstar has launched in Singapore, marking the streaming platform's first step in its international expansion as it looks to take its entertainment offering and technology capabilities to audiences beyond India.

The platform arrives with more than 160,000 hours of content across films, originals, reality programmes and television shows, spanning more than 12 Asian languages. JioHotstar said it will also add around 30,000 hours of new content annually.

Beyond its content library, JioHotstar is positioning personalisation and interactivity as key parts of its Singapore offering. The platform features personalised recommendations and conversational discovery, alongside interactive entertainment features and in-app commerce.

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Among these is live voting for its Bigg Boss franchise, which will allow audiences in Singapore to vote across its various editions for the first time. Bigg Boss Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi are set to premiere on the platform from 6 September, joining Bigg Boss Bangla, which is already available.

The Singapore launch will also give audiences access to programming from JioStar television channels including Star Plus, Colors, Star Vijay, Asianet, Star Jalsha, Colors Gujarati and Star Pravah.

Selected programmes will be available through a "Before-TV" feature, allowing subscribers to watch episodes ahead of their television broadcast. Its upcoming slate also includes original titles such as The Court, Ali Baba Aur Chaalis Bhoot, Prince of Mollywood and Part Timers.

JioHotstar said its Singapore experience has been designed around the country's multilingual audience, with subtitles and dubbed content available across languages including English, Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada and Marathi.

The platform is also looking to tap Singapore's South Asian communities while bringing South Asian entertainment to a broader audience interested in content across different languages and cultures.

JioHotstar currently has more than 500 million active users and has built its streaming business around a combination of entertainment, technology and interactive viewing experiences in India.

Its Singapore launch comes alongside its expansion into Canada and the UK, as the platform takes its content catalogue and product capabilities into international markets.

“Having become India’s favourite streaming destination, we are now taking what we have built in India to audiences globally, with Singapore being an integral part of our international expansion. Singapore is a deeply multilingual and diverse market, with a significant South Asian audience and a strong affinity for Indian entertainment," said Amit Malhotra, head of international business, JioStar.

He added, "JioHotstar brings this diversity together on one platform, offering diaspora audiences and global viewers a rich world of entertainment, while creating new ways to discover and engage with the moments that matter to them. This is the next step in taking the scale, technology and entertainment experience we have built in India to audiences around the world.”

JioHotstar's expansion comes as entertainment companies and marketers across Southeast Asia experiment with new formats to respond to changing viewing habits. In June, VIRTUE Asia partnered with Chinese digital entertainment company COL Group to expand brand access to microdramas and short-form entertainment formats across the region.

The partnership, formed through V47 Entertainment, covers brand-funded microdramas, vertical video and mobile-first narrative content. It also gives brands opportunities to sponsor existing vertical entertainment properties and develop creator-led activations designed specifically for mobile audiences.

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