After deferring its launch originally from 29 March, Star India, owned by Walt Disney, has announced the launch of Disney+ via Hotstar on 3 April.
The Indian OTT platform will be upgraded to Disney+Hotstar with a fresh new look, logo and an enhanced user interface. Earlier this month Hotstar rebranded its app with the Disney+Hotstar logo but withdrew it within 24 hours. Disney+ was supposed to debut in India in conjunction with IPL (Indian Premier League) which has been postponed due to COVID-19 lockdown. In fact, there’s no surety if the biggest sporting tournament will happen this year.
The Walt Disney Company APAC president and Star and Disney India chairman Uday Shankar said, “With the success of Hotstar, we ushered in a new era for premium video streaming in India. Today, as we unveil Disney+Hotstar, we take yet another momentous step in staying committed to our promise of delivering high-quality impactful stories for India that have not only entertained but also made a difference in people’s lives, a promise that is even more meaningful in challenging times such as this. We hope the power of Disney’s storytelling, delivered through Hotstar’s technology, will help our viewers find moments of comfort, happiness and inspiration during these difficult times.”
As people across the country practise social distancing and are home quarantined, Disney+Hotstar is set to offer an unparalleled video streaming experience providing unmatched content and entertainment.
Disney brands such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe were already hugely popular in India, with films such as Avengers: Endgame breaking records not just in the metros but across the country. Disney+ comes with content bundled from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic. Besides films and TV shows, it offers original shows like space western The Mandalorian that is set in the Star Wars universe, documentary series, The World According to Jeff Goldblum, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, among others.
In addition to that, Hotstar already has a library of recently released Bollywood blockbusters, exclusive Hotstar Specials shows, unlimited LIVE sporting action and much more.
Shankar added, “The opportunity in the market hasn’t changed for us. IPL was the biggest reach driver to take the message (of the launch of Disney+) to every cricket lover. But there were too many developments then and we needed to reassess the situation. With all television production stopped and even newspapers not reaching many parts, there is a dearth of fresh and positive content and we have the world’s most exciting stories and brands with us.”
Starting 3 April, Disney+Hotstar will have three distinct offerings for customers – Disney+Hotstar VIP, Disney+Hotstar Premium and an ad-supported basic tier will be available. Shankar also mentioned the price change, the VIP plan will be available for Rs. 399 a year (which was Rs. 365 earlier) while the premium subscription will come for Rs. 1,499 (compared to Rs. 999 earlier). All existing subscribers will be automatically upgraded to their respective new subscription plan and will be charged the new rates upon renewal.
All Disney movies and shows will be localised by dubbing or adding subtitles in Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Other languages are also in the offing. Meanwhile, all Hotstar Specials, its Indian originals will be available across the globe too.
Subscribers will now get expanded access to the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe and the best of superheroes movies like The Avengers, Iron Man, Thor Ragnarok, latest and biggest movies including The Lion King, Frozen II, Aladdin and Toy Story 4.
Disney+ is entering India at an opportune time. While the COVID-19 outbreak has brought unprecedented change to lives across the country, video streaming and smartphone usage have surged as people stay indoors, work from home and look for ways to keep themselves engaged.
According to a report jointly brought out by television monitoring agency BARC and data and measurement firm Nielsen, time spent per user on smartphones in a week has risen by 6 per cent in the post-covid period while video streaming services have seen a 3 per cent rise.
A separate Disney+ branded section will help users navigate the wonderful Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic content available on the service. Subscribers will enjoy the benefits of unlimited downloads of all Disney+ movies and shows, as well as personalised recommendations. Additionally, parents can navigate through the kids-safe mode to access age-appropriate content.
As a prelude to the launch, Disney+Hotstar will host India’s largest virtual red carpet event on 2 April with the premiere of The Lion King (in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu) at 6 pm followed by the popular Disney+ original The Mandalorian at 8 pm. Helping build a virtual community and conversations in these times of physical and social distancing, users will be able to interact on the social feed on the platform, as these premieres are happening. They can chat with their friends and family, share photos and badges with them and the rest of India, and also interact with some of their favourite celebrities who will be at the red-carpet premiere event with them, all while staying safe at home.
The service competes with the likes of global players like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video besides local entities such as ZEE5 and ALTBalaji, VOOT, MX Player and many more.
