Ambani’s JioCinema secures NBCUniversal titles, escalates Netflix and Disney rivalry

JioCinema, the affordable on-demand video streaming service rival to Netflix and Disney’s Hotstar in India, will soon be the home for “The Office” and other NBCUniversal titles.

The Viacom18 streaming service said on Monday said it has signed a “multi-year” partnership with NBCUniversal to bring “thousands of hours” of NBCU movies and TV shows to India. The partnership follows Viacom18 bagging the streaming rights for HBO and other Warner Bros. titles for the South Asian market.

JioCinema, which has over the years poached many high-profile talent from Hotstar, offers the most affordable streaming service among the mainstream streamers. Compared to a standard Netflix plan, which costs $6 a month, JioCinema Premium costs $12 for a year.

JioCinema, which is also home to the IPL cricket tournament, will offer the NBC titles in a Peacock hub starting next month. The content will be available only to paying subscribers, the service said.