JioHotstar Surpasses 200 Million Subscribers: Becomes India’s Largest OTT Platform

JioHotstar, the newly merged over-the-top (OTT) platform born from the union of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar, has created a massive wave in the Indian streaming market. Within just two months of its launch on February 14, the platform has crossed 200 million paying subscribers, making it the third-largest streaming platform globally, only behind Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Explosive Growth Driven by IPL and Cricket Craze

The meteoric rise in JioHotstar’s user base can be largely attributed to the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, one of the biggest cricket events in the world. The platform had 50 million subscribers at the time of its launch and reached 100 million within weeks, right after the IPL began on March 22.

By April, JioHotstar had shattered all records by hitting the 200 million subscriber milestone. According to company sources, the first 24 matches of IPL 2025 generated over 8 billion live views across mobile and connected TV devices—a 30% growth in digital viewership and engagement compared to IPL 2024.

High Engagement and Brand-Safe Environment

Sanjog Gupta, CEO of Sports at JioHotstar, shared in an exclusive interview that viewers are spending 60 to 100 minutes per match, showcasing a high level of engagement. “They are not just watching, they are deeply involved,” he said. This makes the platform an ideal space for advertisers, offering a brand-safe environment with a highly attentive audience.

Strategic Partnerships and Telecom Bundles Fuel Expansion

A significant portion of the rapid growth can be credited to strategic telecom partnerships. JioHotstar is bundled with recharge plans from Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, making it widely accessible to millions of users across India.

These low-cost bundled offerings, coupled with exclusive access to premium sports content, have made JioHotstar the most appealing streaming service in India.

India: The Next Global Streaming Giant

Uday Shankar, Vice Chairman of JioHotstar, expressed satisfaction over the platform’s performance:

“To get so many paying subscribers just from India in such a short time was pretty satisfying.”

He emphasized the platform’s broader vision to bring every potential customer in India into the digital entertainment fold. With India’s massive population and growing internet penetration, this goal may soon become a reality.

JioHotstar vs Netflix vs Amazon Prime: Battle for Dominance

The Indian OTT space is now more competitive than ever. While JioHotstar wins with live sports and low pricing, Netflix is doubling down on local original content to attract a premium user base. On the other hand, Amazon Prime Video is joining forces with platforms like Apple TV+ and Crunchyroll to offer diverse and global content.

Each platform is employing unique strategies to grab a larger share of the growing Indian digital content market.

JioHotstar: Shaping the Future of Global Streaming

JioHotstar’s rapid rise to 200 million paying users isn’t just a win for Reliance and Disney—it’s a signal to the world. India is now a major player in the global OTT ecosystem. With exclusive content rights, aggressive pricing, strategic partnerships, and high user engagement, JioHotstar is poised to continue its dominance.

As competition heats up, the battle for India’s screens will likely shape the future of streaming not just in Asia, but across the globe.