Aamir Khan Tries A Bold Strategy With ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ – And Wins

India-West News Desk

MUMBAI- Aamir Khan’s 2024 film ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ has found an unconventional path to success, reportedly earning “20 times the normal business” through a pay-per-view release on YouTube. The move comes as a bold experiment for the star, who believes this model could be a crucial new revenue stream for the film industry, especially for smaller films with strong word-of-mouth.

Khan released the film on YouTube for ₹100 per view just six weeks after its theatrical run, a decision that drew mixed reactions from the industry. Speaking on the Game Changers podcast, the actor explained his reasoning. He emphasized that his goal was to challenge what he calls a “broken exhibition system” where films are rushed to streaming platforms, undercutting their potential theatrical success.

The actor revealed he walked away from a lucrative ₹125 crore deal with an OTT platform for ‘Sitaare Zameen Par,’ which would have guaranteed a profit before the film even hit theaters. To pursue his pay-per-view vision, he even bought back the film from his producing partner who was skeptical of the idea. “If I’m taking a risk, then it should be my alone,” he stated, clarifying that he didn’t want anyone else to bear the burden of his experiment.

The pay-per-view concept isn’t new to Khan. He shared that he first considered the idea in 2011 after the success of ‘3 Idiots’ but was held back by the lack of a smooth payment system. Now, with widespread UPI adoption and YouTube’s massive reach of “50-60 crore people,” he believes the time is right.

While YouTube does not release specific viewership numbers for pay-per-view titles, Khan confirmed that the film’s earnings have significantly surpassed expectations. He stated, “It’s still at a nascent stage, but the potential is huge.”

“My issue is only with the window between theatrical and streaming releases,” Khan told the media stressing that he is not anti-OTT.