In the midst of a countrywide lockdown, Indian audiences will have access to a whole new content library, including top international shows, from Friday.
Our Correspondent
Disney has announced that it will launch its new streaming service platform, Disney+, in India on Friday 3 April.
The service, already available in the international market, will be accessible to Indian viewers through Hotstar. Hotstar, one of India's leading OTT platforms, is owned by Disney.
Uday Prakash, president, The Walt Disney Company APAC, and chairman, Star & DIsney India, was quoted by the website Techcrunch.com as saying, "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."
The service will offer an affordable annual tier at Rs399, up from Rs365, which will include access to films from the Marvel cinematic universe, sporting events, and a host of movies and shows produced by Hotstar.
The company had initially planned to launch in India in 29 March; however, the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the resultant suspension of several services led to a delay.
Both Hotstar and Disney have come in for criticism recently for self-censoring Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, where Oliver was critical of prime minister Narendra Modi.
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