The film industry in India, commonly known as Bollywood, produces thousands of movies each year. While musicals are very popular, the truth is that Indian cinema covers every genre and its popularity is growing around the world. Over the last few years, the influence of Bollywood on Hollywood has become noticeable and more people are looking for ways to watch movies produced in India. One of the most convenient ways to enjoy Bollywood movies and Indian TV shows is Hotstar. This online streaming platform offers a great variety of content that can be accessed from your computer or mobile device.
Hotstar was launched in 2015 and it is owned by Star Media, a division of entertainment giant, 21st century Fox. The service features content that will be loved by Bollywood fans, but it also includes popular TV shows from US networks like HBO, as well as Hollywood movies. If you love sports, particularly cricket, Hotstar is your ticket to enjoy all the action of the best cricket matches and live events. There is content available in Hindi, English, Bengali, Tamil and other languages, and Hotstar is planning to add subtitles to Bollywood productions to suit a wider audience. That being said, at the moment, Hotstar is focused on India and while the coverage of the service is extending to Pakistan and Bangladesh, users in other countries won’t be able to watch any content.
Hotstar can be a great option for Indian expats who miss the TV shows and movies produced in their country, and for anyone who wants to get access to a varied library of content, for a convenient price. Currently, the cost of the premium membership is just about $3 per month and it gives you access to all the content. However, it is only available in India and the geographical blocks implemented by Hotstar will prevent international users from subscribing to the service. Fortunately, there is a solution that will allow users outside India to enjoying the movies, TV shows, sports and everything else that Hotstar offers.
Using a VPN for Hotstar
Even if you live outside India, you will have the chance to access Hotstar with the help of a VPN. This technology gives you the possibility of changing your IP address to appear as if you were located in India. You just need to sign up to a VPN service, connect to a server in India and subscribe to Hotstar. In order to get access to the Hotstar app on your iOS or Android device, you will need to follow some steps. If you don’t live in a country supported by Hotstar, the mobile apps won’t be available when you go to the App Store or Google Play. To be able to download the app, you need to change the location of the app store using a VPN. Here is what you can do:
- First you need to make sure that the app store is closed and that “Location” is turned off.
- Run your VPN service and connect to a server in India.
- Once you are successfully connected to a server in India, your IP will be changed. When you go to Google Play or the App Store, you should see the Hotstar app and will be able to download it.
An additional advantage of using a VPN is that it can enhance the security of your connection. Your traffic is encrypted, making it impossible for others to know what you do online. This is a crucial feature to protect your privacy from online surveillance, tracking, hacking and other issues. Now, it’s time to check the best VPN services for enjoying content from Hotstar, no matter where you are.
PureVPN
In order to be able to watch content on Hotstar, you need a provider that offers good speeds and of course, servers in India. PureVPN is an excellent choice since it offers servers in Delhi and if you want to explore content from other location, you will be pleased with the great global coverage of this provider. PureVPN has servers in 141 countries in total and its network is designed to offer fast performance for streaming.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is known as one of the fastest VPN services available and it works with a wide variety of streaming services. They have servers in over 90 countries, including India, where they have presence in Chennai and Mumbai. The mobile apps and the desktop software are well-designed and work really well. ExpressVPN also includes SmartDNS as part of its service and the set up guides and customer support are remarkable.
Buffered
Buffered is another great solution for unlocking Hotstar in your location. This provider is known for its dedication to offer customers the technology that allows them to bypass restrictions. They have servers in 37 countries and of course, one of them is India so you will be able to disguise your IP and enjoy all the content that Hotstar provides. Buffered offers a fast service that facilitates streaming, gaming and downloading, in a secure way.
Private Internet Access
In order to get a good level of security and flexibility to access Hotstar, you don’t need to pay a lot. PIA offers a low price, but high quality and great protection for your online connection. They have servers in 25 countries, including India and since they have over 3200 servers available, you will have many options to change your IP and enjoy access to the content you want. PIA is ideal for Hotstar users who want a simple, affordable and effective service.
