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Tag: JioHotstar

  • JioStar hits it out of the park as Tata IPL 2025 smashes a billion-viewer milestone

    JioStar hits it out of the park as Tata IPL 2025 smashes a billion-viewer milestone

    MUMBAI: The 18th season of the Tata IPL was pure box-office cricket, and JioStar—the broadcast juggernaut of Star Sports and JioHotstar—made sure the world was watching. The tournament clocked a jaw-dropping 840 billion minutes of total watch-time and reached an eye-popping one billion viewers, making it the most-watched season in T20 history.

    Digital viewing surged 29 per cent year-on-year, with JioHotstar racking up 23.1 billion views and 384.6 billion minutes of watch-time, riding on a massive 49 per cent jump in Connected TV consumption. Meanwhile, Star Sports delivered 456 billion minutes of live broadcast content, pulling in the highest-ever average TV ratings across demos.

    The Tata IPL 2025 Final was nothing short of a cricketing supernova:

     . 31.7 billion minutes of combined watch-time

     . 169 million TV viewers

     .  892 million video views on digital

     .  55 million peak concurrency on JioHotstar

     .  A record-smashing 16.74 billion minutes on digital alone

    It was also the stuff of legends on the pitch. Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally lifted the trophy, Virat Kohli tasted long-overdue IPL glory, and 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi stunned the world as the youngest centurion in IPL history.

    JioStar CEO – Sports and Live Experiences, Sanjog Gupta said, “The incredible viewership numbers are reinforcement of our belief in the commitment to serve fans and the potential for growth of even a scaled property like the Tata IPL.”

    “We had a two-pronged approach this season.We wanted to widen the consideration for the tournament experience, by focusing on key viewer cohorts which had a light-touch relationship with IPL while also offering a deep, navigable consumer journey to grow engagement with committed fans. From non-viewers and fringe viewers co-viewing the IPL to deeply immersed fanatics, JioStar offered customized offerings for a wide spectrum of distinct cohorts defined by age, consumption profile and region. From the invite and proposition to the broadcast, we were committed to delivering hyper-personalized experiences that are inclusive, intuitive, interactive, and immersive. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the fans, whosepassion and love for the game inspires us. We would also thank BCCI and our partners, whose support is critical in our endeavor to constantly raise the bar on industry-defining experiences we offer on our platforms,” he added.

    Tech-wise, JioStar upped the ante with MaxView 2.0, voice search, 12-language content, Dolby Atmos, VR 360 Live, and Sign Language feeds—making cricket not just watchable, but immersive. The tournament’s “Yahaan Sab Possible Hai” theme rang true despite a mid-season suspension, with fans tuning in in record numbers from the get-go—49.56 billion minutes in just the opening weekend.

    With Shubman Gill and ‘Generation Bold’ now gearing up to face Ben Stokes and Bazball in England starting 20 June, JioStar’s cricketing blitz shows no signs of slowing down.

  • Cyber threats loom in Special Ops 2 trailer

    Cyber threats loom in Special Ops 2 trailer

    MUMBAI: JioHotstar has plugged in with the trailer for Special Ops Season 2, signalling the electrifying return of Kay Kay Menon as the redoubtable R&AW officer Himmat Singh. This time, the stakes are not just high, they’re sky-high, as the series pivots to a perilous cyber front.

    Created and directed by Neeraj Pandey, who also serves as a writer for the series, alongside Deepak Kingrani and Benazir Ali Fida, the show’s cinematography was handled by Sudheer Palsane, Arvind Singh, and Praveen Kathikuloth.

    Under the keen eye of director Shivam Nair, the new season plunges audiences into a volatile geopolitical skirmish. Wars, it seems, are no longer confined to muddy battlegrounds but are now waged in the digital ether, with the enemy lurking in plain sight. Himmat and his crack squad face a silent, insidious war – one of coordinated cyber breaches that threaten to dismantle national stability without a whisper of warning or a single visible scar. It’s a battle for the very soul of the nation, folks.

    A sterling ensemble cast, including Prakash Raj, Vinay Pathak, Karan Tacker, Saiyami Kher, Muzammil Ibrahim, Gautami Kapoor, Parmeet Sethi, and Kali Prasad Mukherjee, lend their considerable talents, adding layers of intensity to this high-octane narrative.

    The Grand Hyatt Mumbai played host to the grand unveiling, where the full cast mingled with the press. JioStar CMO & head-SVOD Sushant Sreeram, offered a fascinating insight into the streaming giant’s greenlighting philosophy. Addressing the perennial question of audience attachment to characters, Mr Sreeram mused that on-screen personas transcend mere viewing figures, becoming integral to a process. He elaborated, rather pointedly, that audiences seek inspiration, hope, or solace in these journeys, finding reflections of ‘either what we are or what we want to be.’

    While JioHotstar boasts a ‘repertoire’ of ‘best characters’, their true vibrancy, he noted, stems from the collective genius of ‘writing it, to directing it, to the people who actually portray the characters,’ not forgetting the ‘fantastic teams at JioStar’ who bring them to the screen. In essence, he argued, these on-screen figures are but echoes of ‘our close relationships’, promising both familiarity and ‘surprise and, you know, delight’ this season.

    JioHotstar, not one to miss a beat, shared the trailer on Instagram with a pithy caption: “This time, everyone is a Target! Cyber-Terrorism vs. Himmat Singh and his squad. #HotstarSpecials #SpecialOps2, streaming from July 11, only on #JioHotstar”.

    https://www.instagram.com/jiohotstar

    With a fresh antagonist in Tahir Raj Bhasin, and a global scale matched by razor-sharp performances, Special Ops Season 2 is set for a thrilling 11 July drop. Brace yourselves, because this time, the battlefield is everywhere!

     

  • Sea it to believe it David Attenborough dives deep with National Geographic

    Sea it to believe it David Attenborough dives deep with National Geographic

    MUMBAI: From the man who’s shown us the planet’s wildest wonders comes a call louder than the crashing waves and this time, the sea is the story. To mark World Oceans Day, National Geographic and Sir David Attenborough have teamed up for the first time to present OCEAN WITH DAVID ATTENBOROUGH, a sweeping, feature-length documentary that blends science, storytelling, and soul-stirring visuals to shine a light on our planet’s blue heart and how we might just save it. The film premieres on Sunday, 8 June at 7 pm on National Geographic and streams the same day on JioHotstar.

    At 99 years old, the legendary broadcaster, biologist, and knighted natural historian delivers what may be his most powerful message yet. Drawing on a 70-year career of exploration, Attenborough takes viewers on an awe-inspiring undersea journey from coral reefs to kelp forests, seamounts to the open ocean showing how the Earth’s watery lungs are all interconnected, increasingly imperilled, and yet astonishingly resilient.

    With haunting new footage of bottom trawling, the film doesn’t flinch from showing the devastation being caused by destructive fishing practices. But rather than wallowing in gloom, Attenborough and the filmmakers focus on solutions: stories of hope, restoration, and revival, offering evidence that if action is taken now, marine life can recover at unprecedented scale.

    “If we save the sea, we save our world,” declares Attenborough and the science backs him. According to recent studies and inputs from advisors including Enric Sala, founder of National Geographic Pristine Seas, ocean protection efforts can lead to rapid biodiversity rebounds and support climate stability.

    The film’s timing is no accident. It aligns with the UN Ocean Conference 2025 in Nice and falls mid-decade of the UN’s Ocean Science for Sustainable Development plan (2021–2030), lending weight to its message.

    As National Geographic EVP Tom McDonald put it, “There is no one better to deliver this landmark film than Sir David.”

    In India, where over 11,000 km of coastline supports thriving marine ecosystems and millions of livelihoods, the message couldn’t be more personal. JioStar president of entertainment Alok Jain noted, “This is not just a global story, it is our story too.”

    With sweeping cinematography, compelling accounts, and Attenborough’s trademark gravitas, Ocean urges viewers to rethink their relationship with the ocean. The film also offers hope that with the right marine protection policies and public pressure, we can restore what’s been lost beneath the waves.

    Later this year, the film will also be made available to educators and non-profits worldwide, bringing the message to classrooms, museums, and conferences.

    Directed by Toby Nowlan, Keith Scholey, and Colin Butfield, and produced by Silverback Films and Open Planet Studios, Ocean is not just a documentary, it’s a rallying cry for ocean lovers, policy-makers, and future generations.

    Tune in this Sunday, 8 June at 7 pm because when Attenborough speaks, the world listens. And this time, the sea needs us to.

  • Aamir Khan swaps silver screen for cricket commentary box in IPL playoffs and final

    Aamir Khan swaps silver screen for cricket commentary box in IPL playoffs and final

    MUMBAI: Mumbai’s cricket fever just got a Hindi cinema twist. Aamir Khan, the thinking man’s action hero, is ditching his director’s chair for the commentary box as JioStar unveiled its star-studded lineup for the Tata IPL playoff and final on 1 June and 3 June respectively.

    The Lagaan legend, whose cricket credentials go beyond mere acting, donned the headset alongside seasoned commentators for Qualifier 2 and will also do so for the final showdown. Khan will join the pre-show festivities on Star Sports and JioHotstar with Genelia D’Souza and the cast of his upcoming film Sitaare Zameen Par, promising viewers a heady cocktail of cinema and cricket on 3 June.

    But this isn’t just celebrity window-dressing. Khan plans to roll up his sleeves, dissect match strategies, make bold predictions, and—true to form—inject his trademark perfectionism into play-by-play analysis. The actor-turned-pundit will share the mic with JioStar’s panel of former IPL champions, creating what promises to be television gold.

    “Nothing matches the energy and stakes of the Tata IPL playoffs and I’m quite excited to be at JioStar’s studios for these crucial playoff games,” Khan said. “Personally, I think both matches are going to be a cracker considering the teams still in contention, and I’m looking forward to commentating off the field.”

    The coverage began from 29 May  through 3 June, with Khan’s commentary debut bookending the tournament’s climactic weekend. Cricket purists and Hindi cinema buffs alike can catch the action exclusively on Star Sports Network and JioHotstar.

    If Khan brings half the intensity he showed in Dangal to the commentary box, viewers are in for a treat that’s equal parts sporting spectacle and entertainment extravaganza.

  • Bittu Bahanebaaz makes an excuse-filled splash on Sonic and JioHotstar

    Bittu Bahanebaaz makes an excuse-filled splash on Sonic and JioHotstar

    MUMBAI: Move over superheroes — the real mastermind on the block is a 10-year-old pro at excuses. JioStar Kids, the undisputed boss of Indian kids’ telly, has rolled out its cheekiest character yet with Bittu Bahanebaaz, now airing daily on Sonic at 12:30 PM with repeats at 9 AM and 7 PM — and same-day drops on JioHotstar.

    The show stars Bittu, a schoolboy who can cook up a brilliant excuse faster than you can say “homework not done.”  From dodging chores to outsmarting teachers, his everyday escapades are bursting with humour, imagination and a whiff of mischief that hits close to home. Think Dennis the Menace with a desi twist — and better timing.

    Penned to perfection, the show’s title track is written by none other than Gulzar sahab, whose clever rhymes and colourful metaphors inject even more life into Bittu’s already bouncy world.

    For Jiostar Kids, this is another feather in a cap already packed with hits like Motu Patlu, Chikoo aur Bunty, Rudra, and Pinaki & Happy – The Bhoot Bandhus. With Bittu Bahanebaaz, it’s doubling down on what it does best — stories that feel local, characters that feel like your next-door neighbour, and jokes that land with both kids and their amused parents.

    So next time your child comes up with a bizarre reason for a missing tiffin box, blame Bittu. Or better yet, switch on the television and join the fun.

  • Stream snatchers busted in Rs 700 crore IPTV piracy crackdown

    Stream snatchers busted in Rs 700 crore IPTV piracy crackdown

    MUMBAI: The pirates of the stream just hit rough waters. In a bold strike against content theft, JioStar has spearheaded a sweeping crackdown on a sprawling digital piracy racket worth an estimated Rs 700 crore, targeting the illegal IPTV service BOS IPTV. Acting on a criminal complaint filed by JioStar, the Cyber Crime Police Station in Gandhinagar, Gujarat has initiated legal action that’s shaken the foundations of underground streaming operations.

    At the heart of the case is BOS IPTV’s illicit distribution of premium content, including from JioHotstar, Star India pay TV channels, and even banned Pakistani networks all bundled at the eye-popping price of Rs 400 for three months. The catch? Every frame was pirated.

    Investigators found the pirated streams were being pulled using hacked set-top boxes sourced from legitimate DTH providers, a chilling reminder of how piracy is now entangled with mainstream distribution systems.

    Following JioStar’s formal complaint, FIR No. 11201018250 was registered on 14 May 2025, invoking a string of charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Indian Copyright Act, and Information Technology Act.

    Law enforcement acted swiftly making an arrest in Jalandhar, Punjab, and seizing three laptops and two mobile phones used in operating the pirated service. But the plot appears thicker than a set-top box manual, with authorities suspecting international links and a wider piracy syndicate behind the scenes.

    “This crackdown is a critical milestone in our ongoing fight against piracy,” said a spokesperson at JioStar. “We commend the swift and impactful action by the Cyber Police in Gandhinagar and other agencies involved. At JioStar, we remain steadfast in our commitment to protect our content, partners, and the interests of millions of lawful subscribers. We will not hesitate to take the strongest possible legal action against anyone found engaging in such unlawful activities.”

    The operation signals JioStar’s zero-tolerance stance on content theft and sends a warning shot to illegal streamers everywhere: stealing signals might land you behind bars, not behind screens. With more raids expected, this takedown isn’t the end, it’s only the buffer before the next play.

  • JioStar backs BCCI’s IPL suspension, says national interest comes first

    JioStar backs BCCI’s IPL suspension, says national interest comes first

    MUMBAI: JioStar – the official broadcast and streaming partner of the Tata IPL 2025 – has thrown its weight behind the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) decision to suspend the league indefinitely, declaring that national interest must take precedence over all else.

    In a statement issued to stakeholders and the media, the company expressed unwavering support for the government, the armed forces, and civilians impacted by the ongoing situation. JioStar has promised to collaborate with the BCCI to ensure the tournament resumes at an Tata IPL 2025 appropriate time.

    “We, at JioStar, wholeheartedly support the BCCI’s decision to suspend Tata IPL 2025 and stand firmly committed to prioritise national interest over all other considerations,” the company stated.

    JioStar further pledged to work closely with all stakeholders to guarantee a smooth transition, ensuring that everyone involved in the tournament’s broadcast and operations returns home safely.

  • IPL 2025 suspended indefinitely

    IPL 2025 suspended indefinitely

    MUMBAI: The news could not have come at a worse time for JioStar.  Just as the Indian Premier League 2025 – the IPL – world’s richest cricket league was beginning to gather momentum during the playoffs and attracting a slew of new advertisers, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) a short while ago announced that it was calling it off – indefinitely. This is courtesy the conflict between India and Pakistan which has escalated and attained war like proportions.

    The BCCI members had long consultations this morning before finally taking the decision to indefinitely suspend it. Most of the cricketers playing in the league had expressed their reservations about their safety in the midst of the Indo-Pak tensions.

    JioStar leased a statement regarding the goverment’s decision stating, We, at JioStar, whole heartedly support the BCCI’s decision to suspend TATA IPL 2025 and stand firmly committed to prioritize national interest over all other considerations. At this time, we must stand united with our country, support the government and our armed forces, and extend solidarity & support to the civilians affected. We will work with the BCCI to bring back the tournament at an appropriate time. JioStar will work closely with all stakeholders to ensure the transition is managed in a seamless manner and everyone involved in the tournament broadcast returns home safely.

    It may be recalled that last evening’s match between between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals at Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) Stadium in Dharamsala on was cancelled after 10.1 overs of play in the first half following air raid alerts in neighbouring Indian cities of Jammu and Pathankot.

    How this will impact and how BCCI will work with the official broadcaster JioStar and streaming partner JioHotstar will become clearer in the coming days. Right now the focus is on the developing conflict between the two nations.

  • Sanjog Gupta pitches JioStar’s mega play: one fan, one individual feed, infinite screens

    Sanjog Gupta pitches JioStar’s mega play: one fan, one individual feed, infinite screens

    MUMBAI: JioStar chief executive of sports and live experiences Sanjog Gupta knows how to play it well. He took the SVG India Summit stage on 5 May and delivered a fiery address that was part state-of-play, part future manifesto, and full of pride. This was despite him recovering from a bout of flu. 

    From JioStar’s record-breaking cricket broadcasts to the turbocharged rise of JioHotstar, Gupta dropped numbers and punchlines in equal measure.

    “Since the IPL began, we’ve added three  million pay TV homes and scaled to 280 million digital subscribers,” he said. “That’s not a curve; that’s a rocket.”

    A year ago, Disney Star and Viacom18 were at each other’s throats. Today, they’re joined at the hip in JioStar—a media juggernaut Gupta calls the marriage of “Star’s creativity and Jio’s connectivity.”

    In under 90 days, JioHotstar was born, merging two massive platforms with 250 million monthly users each. Since then, it’s broken just about every sports viewership record across both TV and OTT, from Test series highs to the biggest-ever WPL and IPL starts.

    But this isn’t just about cricket. Gupta unveiled JioStar’s new vertical—live experiences—which aims to blend collective fan energy with next-gen storytelling and interactivity. “We don’t want to just serve today—we want to shape tomorrow,” he declared.

    He outlined JioStar’s four commandments for partners:

    1. Think consumer, night and day
    2. Be bold, nimble, and humble
    3. Chase creativity, not just ideas
    4. Execute relentlessly

    But the mic-drop moment came when Gupta demoed MaxView 2.0—a souped-up, AI-powered vertical viewing experience designed for mobile fans. Swipe up for bite-sized moments. Swipe left for alternate angles and HeroCam views. Tap once and you’re back in the live game.

    “Screens are getting smaller, but the experience is getting bigger,” he quipped. “One taxi driver watches it at red lights. One guy told me he watches in the office without anyone noticing. That’s what we call stealth sports.”

    Since MaxView’s rollout, JioHotstar has clocked 25 per cent higher engagement from users on mobile. The mission now?

    One fan, many feeds—a world where each viewer gets a bespoke experience tailored to their individual moods, moments and devices.

    As Gupta put it: “Not many fans as one, but one fan as many.”

    Clearly, that should sweep fans all the way to the boundary – with lots of glee.

  • Balaji raises the stakes with Kull: a royal drama poised to rule the streams

    Balaji raises the stakes with Kull: a royal drama poised to rule the streams

    MUMBAI:  Balaji Telefilms, the name long synonymous with India’s soap-operatic swagger, is charging ahead in the digital domain. Its newly energised arm, Balaji Digital, is making a bold play for streaming supremacy with its third original for JioHotstar – Kull – The Legacy of the Raisingghs, set to premiere on 2 May 2025.

    Featuring a heavyweight cast of Nimrat Kaur, Ridhi Dogra, and Amol Parashar, the series dives deep into dynastic dysfunction, weaving a rich tapestry of loyalty, betrayal, legacy, and secrets best left buried. The recently released trailer has sparked a torrent of buzz across platforms, with fans dissecting every brooding glance and cryptic one-liner.

    “At Balaji, storytelling has always been our lifeblood — and digital is just another canvas, albeit a thrilling one,” said , Balaji Telefilms head digital originals Aparna Ramachandran. “With Kull, we’re venturing into new tonal territory. It’s layered, political, emotional – and unafraid to ask hard questions about what families choose to remember, and what they’d rather forget.”

    The move marks a sharp creative pivot for Balaji Digital, which has already made a streaming splash with Dus June Ki Raat – a dark, emotionally charged drama – and Power of Paanch, a long-format youth series that drew praise for its raw depiction of campus life.

    “Power of Paanch was an important moment for us – it showed that youth stories can have depth, nuance, and emotional consequence,” Ramachandran added. “And with Dus June Ki Raat, we demonstrated that Balaji could tackle mystery and emotional realism in a slow-burn format.”

    Kull, however, is a different beast. Set against the backdrop of a powerful royal family navigating present-day ambition and past sins, the show blends opulence with angst. Think Succession meets Gulzar — with the emotional complexity dialled all the way up.

    “The digital viewer is restless, sharp, and demands emotional authenticity,” said Ramachandran. “They’re sampling Korean thrillers, Spanish crime sagas, and British slow-burns — so we have to be at our sharpest. The brief at Balaji Digital is simple: break moulds, not hearts.”

    While Kull promises  a spectacle, it’s also being pitched as a narrative about power and truth in the age of curated legacies. The Raisingghs, the show’s central family, are emblematic of India’s royal residues — clinging to relevance, shrouded in secrecy.

    At the helm of this digital renaissance is Ekta Kapoor, who, after conquering TV and film, is reshaping her empire for the age of OTT. “Ekta has always believed in staying ahead of the curve,” Ramachandran said. “Balaji Digital is her next act — and Kull is just the beginning of what we have in store. We’re forging deep collaborations with platforms, and are already developing a slate that pushes the boundaries of genre and storytelling.”