A few months ago, Prime Video introduced ads and increased the price of its ad-free plan by almost ₹700. Many users were clearly disappointed. Now, with JioHotstar raising prices on its higher tiers, a similar reaction is likely. People may complain at first, but just like with Prime Video, most will eventually adjust.
What makes this interesting is the possible ripple effect. Netflix currently offers one of the cheapest entry prices for a global streaming platform in India. Compared to its international stature, its Indian pricing is still quite low. With both Prime Video and JioHotstar already moving towards higher prices, Netflix may feel less pressure to stay aggressively affordable.
The same logic could apply to SonyLIV and ZEE5. When major players reset price expectations, smaller platforms often follow. Over time, what once felt expensive becomes the new normal. Same thing happened when Netflix introduced ads. Other platforms quickly followed.
Of course, this is still speculation. No official announcements have been made by Netflix or other platforms. But from a business point of view, the trend is clear. Streaming services are slowly shifting from growth-focused pricing to revenue-focused pricing.
Indian audiences may not like it, but the market is maturing. And in a mature market, cheap entertainment rarely stays cheap for long.