Disney Plus content that includes Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic content and Disney Plus originals such as The Mandalorian. (Image: AP)
Disney Plus is coming to India on March 29 and it will be rebranded as Disney Plus Hotstar. This means the entire content library, including nearly 500 films as well as 7,500 TV episodes and exclusive shows from the Disney Universe will be available in India starting next month.
Do keep in mind that the premium streaming service from The Walt Disney will come bundled with Hotstar in India. So the Hotstar Premium and VIP, which cost Rs 999 and Rs 365 per year respectively will likely change. In the US, Disney Plus costs $6.99 per month, which is around Rs 497 on conversion. So, what will Disney Plus bring and which streaming services will it compete in India? We take a look:
Disney Plus Hotstar coming to India on March 29: What is it?
Disney Plus content will come bundled with Hotstar so Hotstar will be rebranded as Disney Plus Hotstar from March 29. Hotstar will continue to offer as its existing library of TV shows, movies, live sports, Hotstar specials in addition to new Disney Plus content that includes Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic content and Disney Plus originals such as The Mandalorian.
It is likely that Disney Plus content will be available with Hotstar Premium with subscription prices going up.
Disney Plus Hotstar coming to India on March 29: What about the price?
When it comes to pricing, the Hotstar Premium and VIP subscription could increase for users given the addition of access to Disney Plus content. As of now, Hotstar Premium service is priced at Rs 999 per year or Rs 299 per month. The VIP subscription at Rs 365 per year for those who want access to India TV shows, movies, Hotstar specials as well as live sports. Premium, on the other hand, includes access to English content as well in addition to the VIP content.
It is likely that Disney Plus content will be available with Hotstar Premium with subscription prices going up. As mentioned before, Disney Plus costs Rs $6.99 (around Rs 500) in the US and this is per month. As of now, it is difficult to say what kind of plans Disney Plus Hotstar has in mind for India, but the hike could make the service more expensive than Amazon Prime, which costs Rs 999 per year.
Amazon Prime, Netflix, Apple TV+, Zee5, SonyLiv, ErosNow cost?
Amazon Prime is Rs 999 per year in India. Apart from access to its streaming service Prime Video, the subscription also includes other benefits such as faster delivery and exclusive deals on Amazon as well as Amazon Prime Music and Prime Reading.
As of now, Hotstar offers Marvel movies and shows, which are exclusive to Disney.
Apple TV+ was launched at Rs 99 per month and as of now, there is no yearly subscription plan. The existing content is limited with TV shows like “The Morning Show”, “See”, “For All Mankind”, “Snoopy in Space”, etc, though Apple is gradually adding more content gradually. Apple TV+ has exclusive content created for the service.
Netflix is the most expensive of the lot with plans starting Rs 199 per month (mobile-only) and going up to Rs 799 a month for Premium subscription. The basic plan costs Rs 499 monthly with access to only one screen at a time and no HD content. With Rs 649 standard monthly plan, one can watch on two screens simultaneously, and there’s access to HD content as well. The most expensive Rs 799 monthly plan offers streaming on four devices simultaneously and in HD as well as Ultra HD.
Among the most popular streaming services worldwide with over 150 million subscribers, it offers a wide library of TV shows and movies. Lately, Netflix added a slew of originals with a focus on Indian audience such as “Delhi Crime”, “Sacred Games”, “Ghost Stories”, “Lust Stories”, etc.
Netflix is the most expensive of the lot with plans starting Rs 199 per month (mobile-only) and going up to Rs 799 a month for Premium subscription.
Zee5 is priced the same as Hotstar Premium, which is Rs 999 per year. Though the monthly subscription is cheaper at Rs 99. The two plans include access to all content on the platform. Apart from this, there’s also a Rs 198 per month plan that bundles Gaana+ monthly subscription and monthly regional packs starting at Rs 49 per month.
SonyLIV has also offers a weekly plan of Rs 29 in addition to Rs 99 monthly plan, Rs 299 half-yearly plan and Rs 499 yearly plan. The content library includes access to shows, exclusive series from Sony as well as movies and sports content.
Voot is free of cost the content can be accessed by anyone. Finally, Alt Balaji has a quarterly plan at Rs 100 and yearly subscription which costs Rs 300.