Aamir Khan`s Sitare Zameen Par shifting to YouTube garners mixed reactions

Aamir Khan dominated the news cycle last week by announcing that Sitaare Zameen Par would be available on YouTube from August 1 for Rs 100 per view — just six weeks after its theatrical release. Bypassing the industry’s eight-week digital release norm and backtracking on his ‘theatre-exclusive’ stand, evoked mixed reactions from audiences and industry insiders alike.

Now, two days after the film’s YouTube premiere, mid-day speaks to audience members, trade analysts, and exhibitors to understand whether Khan’s decision has the potential to become a game-changer in film exhibition and revenue generation for Indian producers. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh believes the actor-producer’s decision undermines a film’s theatrical business, which he had earlier claimed to safeguard.

“This is a debatable issue. At one point, he said that he was looking out for the theatre people by refusing a digital release. Then suddenly, he is releasing it on YouTube in six weeks. He even made a statement, saying, ‘I’m protecting the cinema. I want the theatres to survive.’ How do you expect theatres to survive if people are going to watch it in six weeks in their home for Rs 100? It’s a bold move, but it doesn’t benefit theatres,” he says, before adding that perhaps the superstar’s logic is to reach areas with minimal or no theatre access, given YouTube’s wider reach thanks to the growing digital penetration in India. “Maybe his logic is that at smaller centres where there are no theatres, people still have access to YouTube. That is understandable,” adds Adarsh.

Aamir Khan at the event where he announced that ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ would stream on YouTube

Bihar-based exhibitor and trade observer Vishek Chauhan begs to differ, as he views film exhibitors as the “opening batsmen.” “Most people watch films at home. Theatres serve only two to three per cent of the population. As exhibitors, if our only value is the exclusivity window, we’re in the wrong business. Our job is to launch films, discover price, and create visibility. We’re like the opening batsmen.”

The pay-per-view model differs from selling the film to an OTT platform because it allows the star to build a direct relationship with his viewers. It also gives him greater control and flexibility over pricing and release on his channel, unlike OTT premieres, where streamers set the price, release plan, and enforce a stringent eight-week window.

To release a film on YouTube, a creator doesn’t need to pay the platform. Gunjan Soni, managing head of YouTube India, mentioned earlier this week that the platform works on revenue revenue-sharing model with the concerned creator/filmmaker. Reportedly, YouTube and Khan have struck a 45/55 deal, with the larger share reserved for the star.

In contrast, once a filmmaker sells a film to an OTT platform, they cannot earn any additional revenue from new subscribers the platform may earn. “The pay-per-view model isn’t strong in India, where subscription platforms dominate. What Aamir is doing is risky and idealistic, not pragmatic. He’s bypassing giants like Netflix and Prime Video. It may backfire, but it’s also courageous. I wouldn’t advise producers to skip OTT deals. But it’s his film, his choice,” says Chauhan.

But shouldn’t Khan have waited eight weeks to release the film digitally, considering he had earlier advocated a longer gap? “Aamir hasn’t made the film free. Two weeks ago, Housefull 5, which was on rent at Rs 279, is now streaming on Prime Video. Tamil films have long followed a four-week window. We need a flexible model — not every film can wait eight or 12 weeks. What if a film doesn’t do well theatrically? Why hold it back? Pirated prints are available within a day. If the theatrical run is exhausted, let the producer monetise it elsewhere,” Chauhan argues.

We ask an audience member who watched the film in theatres whether they would watch it again on YouTube. “Given its emotional appeal, Sitaare Zameen Par is likely to be watched repeatedly, especially among family audiences. Its availability at Rs 100 rental makes it an accessible weekend entertainer, particularly for viewers who don’t subscribe to OTT platforms — a segment that still forms a considerable share of India’s digital audience. Strategically, this move not only widens the film’s reach but also aligns with Aamir’s track record of pioneering unconventional distribution methods in Indian cinema. This model could further cement the film’s place as a contemporary Bollywood classic,” says Yash Pandit, a Mumbai-based PR executive.

Soumil Kamat, content consultant, who consumes films and shows on OTT, believes Khan’s earlier statement about not releasing the film digitally created a sense of urgency among theatregoers. “But now, since it is available so early at R100, I am thrilled because I missed it in theatres. However, many who spent a lot of money in theatres might feel cheated by Aamir’s previous misleading statement about not releasing it online.”

Cost to rent ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ on YouTube
Rs 100 for Android users

Rs 179 for iOS users

Rs 125 cr
Offer from an OTT giant for ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’

11k
Likes for the preview of the movie on YouTube