Aamir Khan has defended his decision to release Sitaare Zameen Par on YouTube on a pay-per-view basis, claiming the experiment has already done 20 times the “normal business” and could pave the way for a more sustainable film business ecosystem in India.
Speaking on the latest episode of Game Changers podcast, Aamir acknowledged that he was initially “scared” but insisted it was necessary to revive the exhibition sector, which was hit hard after producers increasingly relied on OTT platforms during pandemic-induced delays.
“I don’t want to blame anyone because their money was stuck. Not everyone can afford to wait this long,” he said.
He argued that films with strong word-of-mouth, like Sitaare Zameen Par and Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies, are being shortchanged as audiences prefer to stream content within weeks of its release. “In the short run, you can get away with this. But in the long run, this is going to bother you,” he remarked.
“All OTT platforms, even when clubbed together, reach only 5-4 crore people in India, whereas YouTube gets 50–60 crore every day,” Aamir added.
He also highlighted India’s limited theatre infrastructure, with only around 9,000 screens — half of which are concentrated in the South — compared to 1 lakh in China and 35,000 in the US.
“If we want to compete with China, how would we do that if we don’t have enough theatres?” he quipped.
Aamir said he chose to experiment with pay-per-view model despite being offered a streaming deal worth Rs 125 crore, because it was the “right time” thanks to the availability of UPI payment options and wide internet access.
The Dangal actor clarified that he is not against OTT platforms. “I never said I won’t sell my film to an OTT platform. Why would I not do that? I have an issue with the period between theatrical and streaming releases.”
While YouTube’s policy prevents him from revealing exact viewership numbers, Aamir said the pay-per-view experiment “is at a very nascent stage right now” but already “20 times the normal business”.