Hotstar Welcomes Disney+ Content on April 3; New Plans Revealed

The existing content under the premium brand which includes American shows from HBO and Fox would also be available under the Disney+ Hotstar Premium subscription.

“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,” Uday Shankar, President of The Walt Disney Company APAC region and Chairman of Star & Disney India, said in a statement.

The new subscription rates of Disney+ Hotstar VIP package begins at Rs 399 for a year while the Disney+ Hotstar Premium is priced at Rs 1,499 per year. The company said that the existing subscribers will be upgraded to the new packages while they would be charged new rates at the time of renewal.

“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,” Shankar said.

Access to Free Content Would Continue

Star India noted that users can continue to watch free content including catch-up TV shows in eight Indian languages, movies and on-demand news for free. Additionally, users can also access sports clips from various sporting events including the Indian Premier League, the BCCI cricket series and the Premier League.

The company said that it will host a virtual red carpet event on April 2 with the premiere of  The Lion King in multiple languages including English, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi. While The Lion King will premiere at 6 pm, it is said to be followed by The Mandalorian at 8 pm.