Disney+ now available on Hotstar; no changes in subscription plans

Most of the Disney titles are available in English and a few Indian languages like Hindu, Tamil, Telugu, etc

Hotstar has launched the Disney+ service on its platform. Exclusive Disney content is now available on the platform. Series like Timon and Pumbaa, Atlantis and many more are now available for the VIP users of the streaming service. 

Interestingly, no extra charges have been levied for Disney. Most of the Disney titles are available in English and a few India languages like Hindu, Tamil, Telugu, etc. However, The original English version of the shows is available to Premium users only. VIP users can access the Indian language dubbed version, and not the English version.

Disney had announced in February that its subscription-based streaming service Disney Plus, which launched in the US in November, 2019, would arrive in India on March 29 through its Hotstar app. The announcement was made by Disney CEO Robert Iger during the company's quarterly earnings call.

"We're excited to announce that we will be launching Disney Plus in India through our Hotstar service on March 29th at the beginning of the Indian Premier League cricket season," Iger said.

Though the Disney top boss didn't go into the specifics, he said the company will rebrand the Hotstar app to "Disney Plus Hotstar".

Disney's control of Hotstar, which it acquired through the $71 billion purchase of Twenty-First Century Fox in 2019, gives Disney+'s entrance into the Indian market in partnership with Hotstar. Hotstar reported 300 million monthly active users last year.

Most of these are users of the free, advertising-supported service and Disney has said it is aiming to convert many of these users into paying subscribers.

Disney could use the help as the streaming video war is waged on the global stage this year against rivals Netflix Inc and Amazon.com Inc. India is widely viewed as one of the biggest source of new subscribers.

Disney+ Hotstar, will have two tiers of pricing where the premium variant will include its original programming like "Star Wars" TV series "The Mandalorian" and "WandaVision" and "Loki" from Marvel.

Disney+ content on Hotstar.