Disney+ streaming platform will be launched in India by Hotstar. The expected launch date is however months away from now. Disney+ streaming platform will be launched in India by Hotstar. The expected launch date is however months away from now.

Disney launched its much awaited streaming service in the US earlier this week. The new Netflix, Prime Video competitor offers users access to movies and TV shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic. Disney+ is priced at $6.99 (Rs 500 approx) per month in the US. It will reportedly launch in India next year.

According to a report by TechCrunch, Hotstar will launch Disney+ in India after the 2020 IPL season which ends in May. In addition to India, the company also wants to expand Disney+ in other Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Malaysia with Hotstar. The expected launch timeline for Disney+ in India seems plausible considering the streaming service is rolling out in the UK and other European countries next year March.

Hotstar, a lesser-known Disney-owned service which has earned a name for itself setting global streaming records, is about to have a very busy next few months. Disney plans to bring its on-demand streaming service Plus in India through Hotstar on March 29, a little earlier than expected, the company said Tuesday.

Hotstar has already confirmed on Twitter that it will bring the streaming service to India and the launch date will be announced soon. There is no confirmation however on how Disney+ will be offered in India whether it will come bundled with Hotstar or launch as a separate service altogether.

Disney+ expected India pricing
The Google Play Store listing (via BGR India) for Disney+, the pricing for the streaming service starts at Rs 590 and goes up to Rs 5,900. The monthly subscription plan for Disney+ could be priced at Rs 590 while the annual plan could be offered at Rs 5,900. This would probably be the case for Disney+ launching in India as a separate service. Disney+ could come bundled with Hotstar as well. In India, Hotstar is available at Rs 299 per month and Rs 999 per year.

Hotstar competes with dozens of streaming services in India, including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. In recent years, all of these services have made original series and movies for the Indian market. The most notable original series on Hotstar is the remake of “The Office.” Netflix’s monthly subscription tiers start from $2.8 (for mobile-only viewing), while Prime Video charges $14 a year. Apple TV+ costs $1.4 a month in India.

In an earnings call with analysts, Disney chief executive Bob Iger said the entertainment conglomerate will launch the service in one of the world’s largest entertainment markets at the beginning of the next edition of IPL cricket tournament, the most noteworthy event on Hotstar all year. He also revealed that Disney+ had amassed 26.5 million paying subscribers worldwide.

In an earlier earnings call, Iger said the company will expand Hotstar outside of India to launch Disney+ through it in Southeast Asian markets.

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