iWorld
Disney+ Hotstar announces ‘Home Dancer’ online dance competition
MUMBAI: Premium streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar has announced a first-of-its-kind online dance competition: Home Dancer. As people across India remain confined to their homes, Disney+ Hotstar is gearing up to offer a unique opportunity for dance lovers to showcase their moves from the comfort of their homes. Within the first week of the show’s announcement, Disney+ Hotstar has received thousands of submissions, far surpassing what an on-ground show would achieve in terms of entries, encompassing participants across age groups and regions. While most submissions have come from the younger generation (below 30 years), there has also been a great response from people in the age groups of 30 years and above. The show has not only received several entries from metros but also from smaller cities and towns such as Banswara, Jhunjhunu, Bhilwara, showing that India is full of budding talent. Disney+Hotstar will air the pilot episode of Home Dancer on 25th May.
The show will feature an exciting celebrity line-up and selected performances from the best entertainers in India. Bollywood star Jacqueline Fernandez will launch Home Dancer, which will be hosted by popular television actor Karan Wahi.
Acclaimed choreographers, Chandni Srivastava and Chetan Salunke of Dance+ fame, will be the judges of the show.
Home Dancer, which will air bi-weekly, is the first online competition of its kind in India that allows viewers to vote for their favorite entries. Spanning a period of five weeks, there will be a cash prize of INR 4 lakhs up for grabs every week.
Disney+ Hotstar spokesperson said, “We are thrilled to announce the launch of Home Dancer as part of our endeavor to offer interactive and innovative ways to connect with our viewers while we continue to stay at home. We are glad to receive participation from metros and non-metros while tapping into a diverse set of audiences and cultures”
To be able to participate in the campaign, interested viewers can login to the Disney+ Hotstar app, select the theme of the week and choose any one of the 10 pre-loaded tracks to submit their respective 60-90-second dance videos on the microsite. The first week’s theme is #LockdownDanceUp. After receiving the entry submissions, the judges will shortlist the top 10 entries. Every week two episodes will be released on Disney+ Hotstar wherein the shortlisted performances will be featured in an episode, following which voting lines will be open for two days. Thereafter, in the follow-up episode, the contestant with the maximum number of votes will be announced the winner of Home Dancer for the week.
Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez shared, “I’m extremely happy that Disney+ Hotstar has launched Home Dancer, to connect with their audiences as we continue to stay quarantined. What appealed to me is that it caters to both – dance lovers as it gives their talent the stage it deserves and viewers, who are always eager to watch fresh content.”
Actor and host Karan Wahi said, “I’m thrilled to host Home Dancer. I urge all viewers to put their best foot forward and participate in the show while others can lend their support by voting for their favourites”
Chandni Srivastava said, “The lockdown has encouraged brands to think out of the box and I am truly excited to be associated with such a unique show format. As a judge, I can’t wait to witness the talent and love for dance that people have in our country. I’m looking forward to new learnings and a fun-filled experience.”
Home Dancer will be an exciting and a super fun addition to Disney+ Hotstar’s offering of high-quality free content, which includes daily catch-up TV shows in 8 Indian languages, a vast library of blockbuster movies and LIVE and on-demand news in 8 languages from the country’s leading news channels. It also features comprehensive sports clips covering major sporting events, such as the IPL, BCCI cricket series, Premier League, ISL and PKL, with all the exciting action from the day available as match highlights, key individual performances and match analysis.
iWorld
Prime Video bets big on India with global originals, films and franchise expansion
Execs highlight scale, travelability and new IP bets as India anchors global strategy
MUMBAI: At Prime Video Presents 2026, the message was clear and confident. India is not just part of the plan, it is central to it.
In a lively fireside chat hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar, Kelly Day, vice president of prime video and amazon mgm studios international, Nicole Clemens, vice president of international originals, and Gaurav Gandhi, vice president for Apac and Anz, laid out an ambitious roadmap. Think bigger stories, wider reach and a sharper focus on building franchises that travel.
Kelly Day, a regular visitor to India, set the tone early. Calling the country “one of the most important markets globally”, she pointed to the sheer scale and diversity of audiences as a driving force behind Prime Video’s growth. Indian Originals, she said, are not just local hits but global engines powering subscriptions and engagement.
That global appeal is already visible. According to Clemens, around 25 percent of viewership for Indian content now comes from outside the country. Shows rooted deeply in local culture are finding fans worldwide, proving that specificity, when paired with universal themes, travels well. From gritty dramas to sharp thrillers, Indian storytelling is increasingly crossing borders with ease.
Clemens, who joined recently to lead international originals, was particularly upbeat about India’s creative range. She highlighted a growing slate of over 100 shows in development and production, with more than 60 percent returning for multiple seasons. For her, the formula is simple. Authentic stories, told well, resonate everywhere.
Adding to the buzz, she teased new and returning titles, alongside a fresh superhero universe, the Kalyug Warriors. It signals a push into new genres while doubling down on familiar fan favourites.
If content is king, distribution is the clever courtier. Day outlined Prime Video’s layered business model in India, which blends subscription, rentals, add on channels and ad supported viewing through Amazon MX Player. The idea is straightforward. Give viewers choice, whether they want premium, free or pay per view.
India, she noted, has also become a testing ground for innovation. Tiered pricing, mobile only plans and language diversity have all been sharpened here before being exported to other markets. In many ways, the India playbook is now influencing global strategy.
For Gaurav Gandhi, the next chapter is about scale with intent. He outlined four priorities. Making Prime Video more accessible, pushing Indian content globally, building stronger franchises and supercharging the films business.
On films, the platform is moving beyond licensing into co productions and now theatrical releases in partnership with amazon mgm studios. These films will eventually stream on Prime Video, creating a full circle from cinema halls to living rooms across 240 countries.
Franchise building remains another key pillar. With hits like The Family Man, Mirzapur and Panchayat already enjoying multi season success, the focus is now on creating the next wave of enduring IP. Newer titles are already lining up for second seasons, signalling a steady pipeline.
What stood out through the conversation was a shared belief. Streaming in India is still in its early innings, and the runway is long. With a mix of local flavour and global ambition, Prime Video is betting that stories from India will not just stay at home, but travel far and wide.
Or as the executives seemed to suggest, the world is watching and India has plenty more to show.
