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.Travel guidesOnline movie streaming services

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.”Online movie streaming services

“My issue is only with the window between theatrical and streaming releases,” Khan told the media stressing that he is not anti-OTT. (Courtesy: https://indiawest.com/)