Update:
Hotstar has rolled back “Disney+ Hotstar” rebranding in less than 24 hours after it was made available to all users in India. Earlier, Hotstar in a statement clarified the availability of Disney+ content was part of a beta trial with a limited number of users. It also pointed out that the official Disney+ India launch on Hotstar is still scheduled for March 29, as announced earlier. We will keep you updated as and when we have concrete information.
Disney+ has set foot in India almost two weeks prior to its previous launch date ( March 29th) via the Hotstar app.
The App is now “Disney+ Hotstar” and has a new logo to go along with it and a new UI overhaul that incorporates Disney’s blue accents throughout the app.
The App when launched has a new “Disney+” section at the bottom which takes you to a page with all the shows from Disney and it’s subsidiaries like Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars etc.
The App now holds all the iconic shows from Avengers to Star wars all on a single platform which is a boon for content consumers.
Disney’s own line of originals and reboots such as “High School Musical: The Musical series” are also included. It also features Disney’s loved animated movies such as the “Toy Stories” series and live-action movies like the iconic “Lady and the Tramp”.
The new interface can be accessed by a simple update on Android and iOS alike, however, TV apps are yet to see the UI update but you can still access the shows by searching for them.
The Disney+ subscription is tied to Hotstar’s Premium subscription which costs INR 999 per annum or INR 299 per month. You still retain all the Hotstar features such as live sports and other star channels.
If you are already subscribed, you will automatically be eligible to watch Disney+ programmes at no extra cost.
The shows are currently streamed at 1080p Resolution and not in its native 4K resolution as the Hotstar app currently does not support 4K HDR streaming.
The catalogue will continue to grow as Disney adds more originals and other legacy shows.
The combination of Hotstar along with Disney+ has now made it a serious threat to other OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Apple TV+ with its show catalogue and competitive pricing. It’s the third-cheapest OTT app after Apple TV+( INR 99/month), Amazon Prime (129/month).
Disney+ is sure to bring a plethora of content both old and new which will entice the customers with its new shows and bring the sweet smell of nostalgia with its evergreen legacy shows which will be appreciated by the “90’s kids” and the current teenage generation.