The most crucial moment in Disney Plus Hotstar’s fledging life is here. And that is the impending exit of HBO content from the Indian streaming giant. If you’re still not aware of the critical development, here’s what you should know – prestigious US content giant HBO is leaving Disney Plus Hotstar from 31st March, 2023. This means 31st March is the last day to watch popular HBO content on Disney Plus Hotstar, which includes top shows such as Game Of Thrones, Succession, The Last Of Us, Barry, and more.
It’s not as if HBO’s exit from Disney Plus Hotstar is a bolt from the blue. The move was always on the cards, as soon as HBO’s ten-year deal with Disney Plus Hotstar came to an end. That HBO will not renew its deal with Disney Plus Hotstar became even more evident ever since the launch of HBO Max, HBO’s very own streaming platform.
Given the popularity of HBO content on Disney Plus Hotstar, it’s obvious that HBO’s entire library leaving the platform is nothing less than a disaster for Disney Plus Hotstar. Add to it, the recent loss of tent pole properties such as the Indian Premier League (IPL) and F1 Racing, and the decks seem to have been cleared for a nosedive in subscribers, revenue and popularity for Disney Plus Hotstar.
So, the question uppermost in our minds is – will Disney Plus Hotstar die after HBO’s exit from the platform?
The question is a loaded one. And yes, there’s only one answer – the scenario doesn’t look too good for Disney Plus Hotstar.
However, there are several good things going for Disney Plus Hotstar. For one, It has been acquiring the streaming rights for prestigious Indian films in most-watched languages of Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. Secondly, it has Marvel and Star Wars properties to bank upon. Though the latter have limited viewership in India, they have their share of dedicated viewers. Lastly, Disney Plus Hotstar’s Indian original shows, under the category of Hotstar Specials, are doing quite well for the platform by themselves.
Which brings us to the one very important thing that Disney Plus Hotstar must do, if it wants to offset the loss of HBO content from its platform. And that is leveraging The Walt Disney Company’s other notable property – Hulu. The one crucial thing that Disney Plus Hotstar must do without any delay is bringing Hulu content for Indian viewers, as soon as it premieres on Hulu in the US.
In recent days, Hulu is giving solid competition to HBO when it comes to bingeable content. Hulu shows and movies are some of the most watchable content of today. The Bear, Only Murders In The Building, Under The Banner Of Heaven, Dropout, The Menu, Fresh, Prey and other top Hulu Original movies and series have been smash hits.
Yet, Disney Plus Hotstar has been very lax in bringing the best Hulu series and movies for Indian viewers. Prey premiered on Disney Plus Hotstar almost two months after its premiere on Hulu. Likewise with Fresh, The Bear, and others. ‘Boston Strangler’, the latest buzzy Hulu original movie is yet to make an appearance on Disney Plus Hotstar.
The need of the hour for Disney Plus Hotstar is definitely to bring all the best Hulu content on its platform, quickly and efficiently.
Only then can Disney Plus Hotstar give tough competition to Netflix and Prime Video in English language programming.
Food for thought for Disney Plus Hotstar!