Star India on Tuesday announced the launch of Disney+ in India by upgrading their streaming app Hotstar on April 3. The new streaming service will now be called Disney+Hotstar and will be available to subscribers in languages such as Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Disney+ launch gives consumers an access to over 250 superhero and animated films, over 100 series including Disney+ Originals like "The Mandalorian besides the Hotstar specials and Bollywood releases, the company said in a release.
"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," Uday Shankar, President, The Walt Disney Company APAC and Chairman, Star & Disney India, said.
Viewers will get three distinct offerings Disney+ Hotstar VIP, Disney+ Hotstar Premium and an ad-supported basic tier.
The launch of the streaming service gives subscribers access to the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe and the best of superheroes movies like The Avengers, Iron Man, Thor Ragnarok, The Lion King, Frozen II, Aladdin and Toy Story 4.
Subscribers of Disney+ Hotstar Premium will receive all the benefits of Disney+ Hotstar VIP, with the addition of access to English language content and 29 critically acclaimed Disney+ Originals, including High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, the live-action Lady and the Trampas well as the latest American shows from studios like HBO, Fox, Showtime at the price of Rs 1499 for a year.
All existing subscribers will be automatically upgraded to their respective new subscription plan and will be charged the new rates upon renewal.
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.
Parents can navigate through the kids-safe mode to access age-appropriate content.
Users will continue to get free content such as daily catch-up TV shows in 8 Indian languages, a vast library of blockbuster movies and LIVE and on-demand news in 8 languages from the leading news channels in the country.
Disney+ Hotstar will also have a comprehensive sports clips offering for its free users, covering major sporting events such IPL, BCCI cricket series, Premier League, ISL and PKL, with all the exciting action from the day available as match highlights, key individual performances and match analysis, the release added.
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