As the merger of JioCinema and Hotstar progresses, an unforeseen impediment has emerged in the form of the domain name JioHotstar.com. An anonymous software developer had already secured the domain, resulting in an amusing standoff. This 28-year-old entrepreneur from Delhi is now requesting over ₹1 crore (approximately £93,345) for the domain, hoping to use the money to pay an executive MBA program at Cambridge University.
Someone bought the JioHotstar domain (before the merger) and wants Reliance to fund their higher studies from domain sale.
— pea bee (@prstb) October 23, 2024
Really hope they can get a good payout from this! pic.twitter.com/uBjvgVgqZG
In an interview with India Today’s Fact Check team, the developer shared his story, revealing how he foresaw the merger and secured the domain before Reliance could act.
The software developer, who prefers to be unknown for the time being, characterizes himself as a typical middle-class man with lofty goals. Many Indians can relate to his upbringing because he comes from a family where the mother is a housewife and the father works for the government. He founded a firm that focused on algorithms for movie recommendations, but he ran into financial difficulties when trying to grow it. He is optimistic about getting money for his MBA dream in spite of the obstacles.
Interestingly, this entrepreneur has already had a brief stint with Cambridge University. Selected for a short-term programme at the prestigious institution, he completed it online during the pandemic. But he hopes to return for a full-fledged executive MBA course—financed, ideally, by selling the JioHotstar.com domain.
So how did this developer manage to secure the domain ahead of one of India’s largest conglomerates? He says it was a mix of foresight and luck. Back in September 2023, rumours of a merger between JioCinema and Hotstar were swirling. Trusting his gut, he registered the domain for less than ₹5,000, betting on the chance that it would become valuable as the merger progressed.
Initially, the developer tried contacting Reliance directly. After sending emails to multiple senior executives and receiving no response, he went public with a letter on the JioHotstar.com site, asking for the ₹1 crore to fund his MBA. While Reliance did eventually reach out, they reportedly only offered him a refund for his registration costs and warned of potential legal action.
Despite this, he remains optimistic, hoping Reliance will consider his request. He argues that the amount he’s asking for is insignificant compared to the company’s vast resources.
The developer admits to feeling stressed by the situation, facing multiple attempts to hack his account and reset the domain’s password. While legal experts, including some from the Supreme Court and Cambridge, have offered to help him pro bono, he is reluctant to take on Reliance in court.
“I don’t want to enter a legal battle against the Ambanis. I know my limits,” he says, acknowledging the power imbalance.
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Source: BT
