In a startling twist in the JioHotstar domain saga, two siblings from Dubai, 13-year-old Jainam Jain, and his 10-year-old sister Jivika Jain, have claimed to having bought the domain from a Delhi-based app developer. The children said they bought the domain from the anonymous developer, who calls himself “a dreamer”, in order to fund his studies.
Earlier, the mystery man, known only as “the dreamer”, had reportedly contacted Reliance Industries, stating that he was willing to sell the JioHotstar domain for price of around Rs 1 crore, but is yet to receive any proposal from billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate.
The anonymous techie said he needs the money to fund his MBA at the prestigious Cambridge University in the UK, however, Reliance declined any negotiations with the developer, according to news agency PTI.
Jainam and Jivika, new owners of jiohotstar.com
Meanwhile, on Saturday, two young siblings from Dubai, Jainam and Jivika, aged 13 and 10, respectively, posted a letter on the domain, saying that had bought the site to “support a young software developer from Delhi.”
“Hello! We are Jainam and Jivika – siblings from Dubai, UAE, on a mission to make a difference. Even though we’re just kids, we believe that age is only a number when it comes to spreading kindness and positivity. Our recent journey began during our summer holidays when we left our home in Dubai for 50 unforgettable days in India. We had a purpose: to connect with children from various backgrounds, share our love for learning, teach skills for studying and setting goals, and inspire them to dream big,” the post read.
The siblings said they received “gifts, blessings, and even small donations” during their 50-day ‘Seva Journey’, and upon returning to Dubai, used a portion of proceedings to “support a young software developer from Delhi by purchasing this domain for his benefit”.
“Through sharing our journey here, we aim to inspire others and keep the domain open for future sale to anyone who wants to continue this positive mission,” they added.
Jiohotstar domain row
An anonymous Delhi-based developer has been grabbing social media attention for his unique demand to fund his higher studies by selling the JioHotstar domain, following announcement of a merger between Reliance’s Jio Cinema and Walt Disney-owned Hotstar. The techie had reportedly bought the domain in 2023 after rumors about the merger surfaced.
He has reportedly contacted the Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate but according to him, has yet to receive any reply or proposal.
“I haven’t received any reply and proposal from reliance,” PTI quoted him as saying.
Legal experts believe that he has a “winnable case” and there is a fair chance of him securing an even bigger compensation. But the developer has no interest in a legal battle and only wants the money to fund his studies.
“Domain is available for anyone to buy now. I hope Reliance take a compassionate stand and at least buy it for 1/10th the original ask,” he was quoted as saying.
