Bhubaneswar: The ongoing controversy over the ownership of JioHotstar.com has taken an unexpected turn, as the domain, originally registered by an app developer in Delhi, now appears to have new owners—two young siblings in Dubai.

How the controversy started

The domain name JioHotstar.com, viewed as the natural choice for the merged streaming platform of Disney+ Hotstar and Viacom18’s JioCinema, was acquired in 2023 by a Delhi-based developer who anticipated the merger.

Following the recent merger announcement, a letter appeared on the site, with the developer demanding over ₹1 crore from Reliance Industries for the domain, explaining he needed the funds to pursue an Executive MBA course at Cambridge University in the UK.

The developer alleged that a Reliance executive later contacted him, rejecting his demand and instead initiating legal proceedings against him on grounds of trademark infringement.

New Twist

However, on Saturday, the JioHotstar.com domain showcased a new landing page, revealing that the site had changed hands. It is now registered to Jainam and Jivika, two siblings based in Dubai. According to their website, jainamjivikafuntime.com, Jainam is 13 years old, and his younger sister Jivika is just 3. The siblings claim they acquired the JioHotstar domain “to support a young software developer from Delhi.”

The young duo also runs a YouTube channel dedicated to DIY content on toys and games and is linked to an NGO, the Jainam Jivika Foundation, managed by Kantilal Shankarlal Jain and Shobha Kantilal Jain.

As of now, Reliance Industries has not issued a statement regarding this unexpected shift in JioHotstar.com’s ownership.