Rohit Jain takes charge of Lionsgate Play in Starz Asia reset
Starz Entertainment sells Lionsgate Play in South and Southeast Asia to Asia president Rohit Jain, placing the OTT platform under founder-led ownership amid intensifying competition in India’s streaming market.
Canadian-American entertainment company Starz Entertainment Corp., formerly Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, has sold Lionsgate Play—its streaming platform in South Asia and Southeast Asia—to Rohit Jain, president of Lionsgate Play Asia.
All other Lionsgate film and television businesses in India and Southeast Asia will remain with the studio. Jain will transition fully to managing Lionsgate Play and exit Lionsgate as part of the transaction, the company said in a statement.
The deal places Lionsgate Play under founder-led ownership, with a sharper focus on Asia’s fast-evolving digital entertainment market, the company added.
Lionsgate Play is estimated to command a subscriber base of 5 million and has invested around $100 million in content for South Asia over the past few years.
What continues
Under a multi-year agreement, Lionsgate will license the Lionsgate Play brand name to the platform and provide access to its films and television series. This will allow Lionsgate Play to continue scaling in what the company described as one of the world’s most dynamic streaming territories, it added.
“We thank Rohit for his outstanding leadership in building and scaling Lionsgate’s business in India over the past eight years," Lionsgate chief operating officer Brian Goldsmith said.
“Under his stewardship, the Lionsgate brand has gained greater resonance with audiences in South Asia and Southeast Asia, and Lionsgate Play has emerged as a distinctive premium streaming platform in one of the world’s fastest-growing digital entertainment markets."
Jain said Lionsgate Play has established itself as a leading destination for Hollywood content in India and is now positioned to expand beyond that, shaping a differentiated, future-ready streaming platform for the region.
India journey
Globally, Lionsgate is known for franchises such as The Hunger Games, John Wick, Saw, Twilight and Divergent, as well as critically acclaimed films including Knives Out, Hell or High Water and The Big Sick.
In India, Lionsgate Play was initially available to Vodafone Play and Idea Movies and TV subscribers through a strategic partnership with Vodafone Idea Ltd. It launched as a standalone streaming app in 2020.
In an earlier interview, Amit Dhanuka, former executive vice-president at Lionsgate, told Mint the platform was targeting 60 premieres a year across English and Hindi. Its India originals included titles such as Feels Like Home and Minus One.
Market pressure
The transaction comes at a time when rising content and talent costs, coupled with the growing dominance of global giants such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and the merged JioHotstar entity, have put pressure on smaller OTT platforms in India.
While some players like Lionsgate Play have increasingly leaned on international titles, others have struggled. Eros Now has slowed original programming, while Hungama Play has cut back on marketing new launches, even as some content continues to be released.
Industry experts say platforms focused largely on Hindi or English content face structural disadvantages. They lack the financial muscle of larger rivals that produce across languages and did not build strong niche propositions like regional-focused platforms such as hoichoi or aha.
“It is a classic case of big fish ruling over the small ones," said Girish Dwibhashyam, a streaming industry expert.
“These platforms can’t afford big-ticket rights the way Netflix, Prime Video or broadcaster-owned OTTs can. Regional apps may not yet be profitable, but they are innovating and have a clearer story for investors. The problem with some other players is that they are neither niche nor capable of matching the big players on capital investment."
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