<p>New Delhi: The head of US giant <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/disney">Disney</a>'s Hotstar streaming app in India, Sajith Sivanandan, has resigned, three sources said on Thursday, as business integration gathers pace after the company's $8.5 billion merger with Reliance's India media assets.</p>.<p>The resignation comes days after an internal decision for all live sporting events of the merged entity, including the popular <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League </a>(IPL), to be streamed on Disney's Hotstar app, and not Reliance's JioCinema.</p>.<p>That was the first major step in integration after the deal to create India's biggest entertainment company.</p>.<p>However, the leadership has yet to decide if JioCinema will continue as a separate app, said two of the sources, who all spoke on condition of anonymity, as the discussions are private.</p>.<p>Sivanandan, Disney and Reliance did not respond to queries from Reuters.</p>.<p>After the merger, Disney and Reliance will together have more than 100 TV channels and two streaming apps, and will compete with Sony, Netflix and Amazon Prime.</p>.<p>Sivanandan worked at Hotstar for more than two years after working at Google for 15 years.</p>.<p>JioCinema is currently led by Kiran Mani, another former Google executive who has been associated with Reliance's media unit for about a year.</p>.<p>Reliance's JioCinema has the rights to IPL cricket, a money-spinner that is among the most-streamed content, as well as to the Winter Olympics and Indian Super League football.</p>.<p>Hotstar has rights to the International Cricket Council's tournaments in India and English Premier League soccer. </p>
<p>New Delhi: The head of US giant <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/disney">Disney</a>'s Hotstar streaming app in India, Sajith Sivanandan, has resigned, three sources said on Thursday, as business integration gathers pace after the company's $8.5 billion merger with Reliance's India media assets.</p>.<p>The resignation comes days after an internal decision for all live sporting events of the merged entity, including the popular <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League </a>(IPL), to be streamed on Disney's Hotstar app, and not Reliance's JioCinema.</p>.<p>That was the first major step in integration after the deal to create India's biggest entertainment company.</p>.<p>However, the leadership has yet to decide if JioCinema will continue as a separate app, said two of the sources, who all spoke on condition of anonymity, as the discussions are private.</p>.<p>Sivanandan, Disney and Reliance did not respond to queries from Reuters.</p>.<p>After the merger, Disney and Reliance will together have more than 100 TV channels and two streaming apps, and will compete with Sony, Netflix and Amazon Prime.</p>.<p>Sivanandan worked at Hotstar for more than two years after working at Google for 15 years.</p>.<p>JioCinema is currently led by Kiran Mani, another former Google executive who has been associated with Reliance's media unit for about a year.</p>.<p>Reliance's JioCinema has the rights to IPL cricket, a money-spinner that is among the most-streamed content, as well as to the Winter Olympics and Indian Super League football.</p>.<p>Hotstar has rights to the International Cricket Council's tournaments in India and English Premier League soccer. </p>