JioHotstar domain finally transferred to Viacom18

New Delhi: The domain name JioHotstar.com has officially been transferred to Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of Reliance Industries, marking the end of a saga that involved a Delhi engineer and a pair of siblings from Dubai.

Originally, the domain was bought by a Delhi-based app developer who anticipated a merger between JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar, hoping to capitalise on the potential new branding. 

However, after Reliance rejected his offer to buy the domain for over Rs 1 crore, the domain was sold to Jainam and Jivika Jain, young siblings from Dubai, who acquired it to support the developer's educational aspirations.

The Dubai siblings, known for their charitable work, had expressed willingness to transfer the domain to Reliance without any cost, indicating their intentions were not commercial. 

Now, the domain has found its way back to its likely intended corporate owner, with WHOIS records updated to reflect Viacom18 as the new registrant.

Reliance has not yet disclosed how it plans to utilise the domain, but its control over it ends a period of legal and commercial contention.