Streaming platform Hotstar on Thursday, 20 March, announced that the launch of Disney+ in India has been postponed indefinitely. The service was to go live on 29 March, coinciding with the beginning of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Uday Shankar, President - The Walt Disney Company APAC and Chairman, Star & Disney India, said in a statement that the decision was made since the IPL has been put on hold until at least 15 April in light of the coronavirus pandemic. A new premiere date has not been set yet.
Hotstar initially went live with Disney+ on 11 March, rebranding itself with a change in logo and colour scheme which moved from its signature green to blue. Content from Disney's earlier catalogue was made available for streaming, including films like Doctor Strange, Captain America: Civil War and Disney originals like Marvel's Hero Project and The Mandalorian.
However, the service was rolled back within a day. A spokesperson confirmed that the exercise was to “test the Disney+ Hotstar app with a small number of consumers”. “A limited release of the beta version of the Disney+ Hotstar app is currently being tested with a small number of consumers, in preparation for the full-fledged app launch on 29 March,” the platform confirmed.
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