A new website, Jiostar.com, has gone live, taking the much-publicised dispute over the JioHotstar domain name to a dramatic new level. Speculations are rife that this might become Reliance Industries' streaming platform, post-Reliance-Disney+ Hotstar merger.
The controversy started in early 2023 when a Delhi-based app developer bought the domain name JioHotstar.com. He bought it, perceiving that Reliance Industries was about to merge with Disney+ Hotstar.
The app developer then gave Reliance a selling offer of Rs.1 crore for the domain name. The domain owner further explained that the fund would be used for his higher studies at Cambridge University. Reliance Industries declined the offer.
After the debacle, Reliance Industries did consider a legal recourse by filing a case against the developer for violating its trademark. However, by then, the domain was sold to two Dubai-based siblings Jainam (13 years) and Jivika (10 years). The siblings reportedly purchased it to help the educational aspirations of the developer.
The siblings claimed to have a mission of doing good, by posting the following video they explained their purpose, stating they wanted to promote positivity.
There are speculation that the new site, Jiostar.com could be part of a new streaming platform from Reliance Industries. This, amid ongoing domain drama have ensued large-scale debates on if and when Reliance and Disney+ Hotstar will merge. Industry insiders are forecasting that Jiostar.com may feature content from both JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar. Thus, becoming the unified home for combined streaming services.
The Reliance Industries-Disney+ Hotstar was approved by Competition Commission of India (CCI) as well as the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in August of 2024.
According to the merger terms, Reliance will hold a 60% stake in the merged entity, and Disney will retain 37%. The merger is likely to integrate the massive content libraries of the two platforms into a single and dominant streaming service.
The case regarding the domain name controversy has been on point in emphasising problems in Indian cybersquatting and domain ownership laws.
Currently, the country does not have specific laws to address the issue of cybersquatting. According to experts, this case may determine a trend for future cases with valuable domain names and trademark rights.
Public drama over the ownership of the JioHotstar domain does not seem to end anytime soon, with Jiostar.com holding what appears to be its trump card going forward. As Reliance Industries prepares to seal the Disney+ Hotstar deal, the outcome may have a profound impact on the future of India's streaming landscape.
In this light, the controversy further underscores the growing need for clearer legal frameworks to address domain ownership disputes.