Mukesh Ambani's move to acquire Disney Star may change cricket viewing in India, here's how

In a move that could reshape the Indian entertainment landscape, Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Limited is reportedly in talks to acquire Disney's India business. This will mark one of the largest deals in the country's entertainment industry.

The stakes are high, particularly in the realm of cricket, as the combined broadcasting rights of Reliance's Viacom18 and Disney Star for major cricket properties in India amount to nearly Rs 55,000 crore for the next 4-5 years. This includes rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL), International Cricket Council (ICC) events, and bilateral matches involving India across formats on TV and digital platforms.

The potential deal might involve Reliance taking over Disney Star's entire India business or specifically targeting the digital streaming business. Disney's India business comprises streaming platform Disney+ Hotstar, a robust linear TV business with over 70 channels in eight languages, and a film studio. Viacom18, under Reliance's broadcast division, already owns 38 TV channels in eight languages, the video OTT app JioCinema and Viacom18 Studios.