Reliance Industries Ltd plans to make Disney+ Hotstar the main streaming platform after merging Star India and Viacom18. This means that JioCinema, which is currently owned by RIL, will be absorbed into Disney+ Hotstar, reported TOI. According to sources, Reliance chose Disney+ Hotstar for its better technology, and once the merger is complete, Disney+ Hotstar will be the main platform for all streaming content from the combined companies.
This could also mean that after the merger, the OTT platform will have a new domain – like JioHotstar. In 2018, Reliance Jio acquired Saavn, a popular music streaming platform to create a new entity called JioSaavn. So a new entity called JioHotstar is very much possible.
However. a Delhi-based techie has snagged the domain name ‘JioHotstar.com’ in a bold move, hoping to fund his dream of studying at Cambridge University. The simple webpage, which displays a banner reading “JioHotstar: Best of Entertainment, Streaming Soon”, has no official branding but carries a heartfelt message for Reliance Industries.
The developer explains how he predicted a potential merger between Jio and Disney+ Hotstar, similar to Jio’s acquisition of Saavn. His goal? To sell the domain and use the money to pursue his long-time dream of studying entrepreneurship at Cambridge, a program he couldn’t afford before.
He’s now waiting for Reliance to reach out, calling the potential deal life-changing for him and a minor expense for the multi-billion dollar company.
Here’s a look at the webpage:
However, as it turns out, somebody from Reliance actually did get in touch with him. He made a request of 93,345 pounds (Rs 1.01 crore approx) which is the tuition fees for his EMBA program. But the request was denied by Reliance and the executive said that the company would proceed with legal action. The techie, on the other hand, doesn’t have the power to stand against such a large company.
We have to agree, that’s a pretty HUGE sum of money the app developer has asked for!