JioHotstar.com drama explained: From a Delhi developer to Dubai siblings, the story of a highly contested domain

The saga surrounding the JioHotstar.com domain had taken an unexpected turn over the weekend. After a Delhi-based app developer secured the domain in 2023, hoping to sell it to Reliance Industries for over ₹1 crore, he ultimately sold it to two young siblings from Dubai – 13-year-old Jainam Jain and 10-year-old Jivika Jain. The two children have now repurposed the domain to share their philanthropic journey and say they purchased it to support the developer’s goals and continue spreading kindness.

This story began when the Delhi-based developer, who described himself as "a dreamer," registered JioHotstar.com in 2023 as rumours about a JioCinema and Hotstar merger emerged. Seeing potential in the name’s future value, he reached out to Reliance with a ₹1 crore asking price, hoping to use the proceeds to finance an executive MBA at Cambridge University.

However, his plans didn’t go as hoped. Reliance reportedly ignored his proposal. After facing mounting legal pressure and technical challenges, he ultimately decided to step back from the battle and put the domain up for sale, which is when it was bought by Jainam and Jivika Jain from Dubai.

Who are the new owners, Jainam and Jivika Jain?

Shortly after purchasing the domain, the siblings introduced themselves and their mission on the JioHotstar.com site. “Hello! We are Jainam and Jivika – siblings from Dubai, UAE, on a mission to make a difference. Even though we’re just kids, we believe that age is only a number when it comes to spreading kindness and positivity,” they wrote.

The children explained that they had spent their summer holidays in India, where they embarked on what they call a “Seva journey” (service journey). For 50 days, they travelled across India, connecting with children from various backgrounds, sharing study techniques, and encouraging them to dream big. According to the siblings, small donations received along the way helped them gather funds, part of which they used to buy the JioHotstar.com domain from the developer to “support a young software developer from Delhi.”

They added, “Along the way, people showed their appreciation through gifts, blessings, and even small donations, which we collected over our travels. When we returned to Dubai, we used a portion of this collection to support a young software developer from Delhi by purchasing this domain for his benefit.”

The purpose behind the purchase

The siblings outlined their intention to keep JioHotstar.com as a platform for sharing stories from their journey and spreading positivity. “Through sharing our journey here, we aim to inspire others and keep the domain open for future sale to anyone who wants to continue this positive mission,” they wrote.

Alongside the statement, Jainam and Jivika posted photos, videos, and updates from their travels in India, showing the connections they made and the lessons they shared. They also uploaded videos featuring “fun challenges” they completed during their travels, hoping to inspire others to take on new challenges.

A twist in the JioHotstar.com story

The Delhi developer’s attempt to capitalise on the Jio-Hotstar merger by registering JioHotstar.com echoes a similar experience shared by another techie on X (formerly Twitter). The techie, who had once registered Jio-related domains speculatively, also ended up surrendering them without compensation when faced with legal action from Reliance. For the Delhi developer, the journey ended with a partial success – while he did not sell to Reliance, he was able to secure some funds through the sale to Jainam and Jivika.

Reliance’s response remains unclear

Reliance Industries has yet to release a public statement about the recent transfer of JioHotstar.com to the Dubai-based siblings. It’s uncertain whether the corporation will attempt to purchase the domain in the future, given its relevance to the recently merged JioCinema-Hotstar platform.