There are a few ways to access Hotstar, regardless of your location. Even though Hotstar’s streaming service is based in India, international access is just a couple of clicks away. From sports to your favorite weekly flicks, great entertainment is right around the corner.
When it comes to enjoying your Hotstar experience, you can get the most out of your entertainment session with some family, friends and an unlimited library of the world’s best features. If you’re new to Hotstar, you’re in for an entirely new world of multimedia. If you’ve used Hotstar in the past, get ready for more excitement: Your experience is about to get even better.
Even though Hotstar is available internationally, those outside of India face some viewing restrictions. Similar to Netflix, many of Hotstar’s shows and films are geo-restricted—so they can’t be viewed beyond Indian audiences. So, while the service is available in the United Kingdom and the United States, coverage isn’t all-encompassing.
But, don’t worry: Your Hotstar experience doesn’t need to stay limited. Even if you live overseas, you can still access the majority of Hotstar’s library. Below, we’ll cover the top five ways to enjoy watching Hotstar from any location—starting with the geo-restriction removal.
To get the most out of Hotstar, consider using a VPN. A VPN is a ‘virtual private network,’ one which creates a secure, private connection between your computer and your VPN host provider. This private network reroutes your connection’s Internet traffic, transferring it through one of your provider’s own servers. But how does this benefit users, exactly?
The servers themselves are located around the world—and there are plenty available. You can select which server to use, regardless of location, to make your Internet connection appear to stem from a place away from your current access point. When it comes to geo-restricted streaming services, this means your VPN connection can be routed through a server location which has a higher degree of access to films and television shows.
This benefit isn’t exclusive on a service-to-service basis, either. Many other streaming platforms are geo-restricted due to copyright conflicts, but others might be unavailable due to a given country’s censorship laws. In any event, a VPN is the best way to circumnavigate any location-based Internet restrictions—assuring total access around the clock.
A VPN has other benefits for media-lovers, including its ability to make one’s connection virtually invisible. Because a VPN reroutes a user’s Internet address, it obscures the user’s data. So, when streaming online content, the user needn’t be worried about malicious users attempting to exploit their information.
All data passing through a VPN is encrypted, too, so when you access Hotstar you needn’t worry about any information being deciphered—if it’s noticed, in the first place. Most VPNs offer military-grade encryption as well, keeping users safe for extended streaming sessions—regardless of location. So, if you want to bring your Hotstar viewing experience to the next level, and stay safe while streaming in general, using a VPN is the first way to do so.
The next best way to enjoy your Hotstar experience is to check out some of the world’s greatest sporting events. Hotstar’s on-demand sports content is often incomparable—and the service offers over 50,000 hours of streamable content, in general.
Hotstar is popular in India due to its coverage of live cricket matches, like the ICC World Cup and the Indian Premier League. This doesn’t mean, however, that Hotstar isn’t also a great streaming service for other sports: Star India is the owner of Star Sports, and Star Sports features some of the world’s best sporting events.
You can check out these events in your current place of residence, but Indian-centric sports tend to only be available for Indian Hotstar viewers. As with the service’s exclusive films and movies, these shows can be accessed with a VPN. So, to get the most out of your sports-viewing experience, and to check out some of the world’s best tennis, football, boxing and hockey events, hop onto Hotstar with unrestricted access—location to location.
Hotstar is primarily called Disney+ Hotstar, as Hotstar was acquired by Disney in 2019 with Disney’s purchase of 21st Century Fox—Hotstar’s host company. Understandably, Hotstar hosts the best Disney films and television shows around, even featuring some of Disney’s oldest, most memorable flicks.
If you’ve used Hotstar in the past, you’ve undoubtedly noticed its new, sleek look. The Disney+ Hotstar interface has changed entirely, bringing the magic of Disney’s multi-decade library up front and center. Disney+ Hotstar features over 100 series, including Disney+ Originals, and more than 250 superhero and animated films. Among these are worldwide favorites like Iron Man, Thor: Ragnarok and The Avengers: Infinity War.
Disney+ Hotstar’s entertainment certainly isn’t limited to superhero films, either, as it also includes timeless sagas like the Star Wars franchise. So, no matter the season, and no matter the audience, Hotstar’s collection of Disney classics is well worth checking out.
As India’s biggest on-demand video streaming service, Hotstar is also home to each year’s most-awaited Bollywood movies. Right now, Bollywood fans can check out this year’s best premiers, including Laxmmi Bomb, The Big Bull and The Pride of India.
While India’s Hotstar subscribers have immediate access to these films, those living outside of India face geo-restrictions. Fortunately, using a VPN can bypass these barriers—giving viewers total access to the world’s latest, greatest Bollywood classics to land on Hotstar. These films are spread across several genres and viewership age levels, as well, promising great experiences for all: The children’s films in Hotstar’s Bollywood library are valued for their educational content—helping younger viewers learn their country’s language.
Many people have family and friends overseas, synchronizing streamed content to share their viewing experiences online. While the best shared experiences include new releases and seasonal classics, a country’s geo-restrictions can make it difficult for friends and family to sync up. Some of the best television shows also require consistent access to enjoy, too, so as to assure week-to-week access. Fortunately, you can access Hotstar with a VPN to enjoy weekly specials with those you’re closest to.
If your group wants to explore India’s best television series, a VPN can unlock access to this year’s awesome lineup: Special Ops, Criminal Justice, Hostages and City of Dreams are currently available—and each is an absolute blast to watch with friends and family. Synching up for an online viewing party isn’t too difficult, and sitting down for shared viewing experiences is totally worthwhile.
HBO, FX and other program providers are featured on Hotstar, too, like The Leftovers, Big Little Lies, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The Wire. You even check out some of Disney’s all-time best shows on Hotstar—extending your online viewing party to the family’s youngest generation.
Vacationers, remote workers and other international travelers face more than a few online restrictions: From hotel Internet blocks to country-wide media censorship laws, it can be tough to access the shows and movies you love. Sometimes, restrictions even extend to international news providers, like the BBC. In other cases, strict geo-blocks can even make it difficult to access one’s banking institution.
From managing subscriptions to daily streaming sessions, few digital tools are as useful as a VPN. VPN servers help viewers safely sidestep geo-restrictions without hindering Internet speeds, and some providers even offer unlimited data. Again, a VPN also encrypts your data—protecting any data from online threats. Because it’s virtually unreadable, even those perusing public networks can’t see your Internet activities. For frequent travelers, this is especially important for location-to-location public network security.
Today’s VPN servers are incredibly affordable—often available for as little as a couple of dollars per month. When choosing a provider, it’s a good idea to select a VPN which offers incredible connection speeds without sacrificing security. Look for VPN services which offer unlimited bandwidth. If you’re considering a VPN to check out India’s Hotstar films and shows specifically, look for a provider which features fast, reliable servers located in India.
It’s also important to choose a VPN provider which offers support across your devices: The best services have their own mobile apps, protecting your smartphone, tablet and desktop computer alike. In most cases, your chosen VPN settings can be synchronized across these devices—which means you needn’t spend extra time changing settings when on the go.
In terms of privacy and online security, a VPN’s utility can’t be overstated. Providers have strict, no-logs policies, and each feature the top-tier encryption services mentioned above. Whether you’re at home, at the airport, overseas or on the road, a VPN is your ticket to the world’s best television shows and movies. Stay in touch with your family and friends, and browse international hits unrestricted. Incredibly accessible, affordable and secure, a VPN is the entertainment sidekick every film-lover should have.