Sitaare Zameen Par: Aamir Khan’s Film to Release Offline, Watch for Just ₹100

Bollywood's Mr. Perfectionist, Aamir Khan, has once again become the talk of the town in the film industry with his unique move. This time, he has decided to release his recent hit film Sitare Zameen Par directly on YouTube Movies-on-Demand, bypassing the traditional OTT platforms. The film will be available for rent from August 1 at ₹100 and will also be released in 38 international markets.

Why did you choose the path of YouTube?

Aamir Khan believes that only 2-3% of people watch movies in theatres. He decided to take the digital route to reach the remaining 97% of the audience. Aamir says, "I want the film to reach every section of society - not just the rich or the tech-savvy people. If a family watches a film for ₹100, then the expenditure per person is ₹25, which is quite affordable." Sitare Zameen Par is an emotional film starring Aamir Khan along with Genelia D'Souza and 10 actors who are intellectually disabled. The film is directed by R.S. Prasanna, and the story is written by Divya Nidhi Sharma. The film touches a sensitive subject, just like Aamir's 2007 classic Taare Zameen Par.

Partnership with YouTube

Gunjan Soni, Country Managing Director, YouTube India, said, "Aamir's vision and his efforts to democratize digital content align with YouTube's mission." This partnership is a big step for YouTube towards premium content distribution. Aamir said that he does not consider the subscription-based OTT model to be commercially sustainable in the long run. He believes that YouTube's pay-per-view model is more practical and transparent, where not only the filmmakers get fair profits but the audience also gets affordable entertainment.

Opportunities for new filmmakers

This model of Aamir Khan can also prove to be a boon for young filmmakers. He says, "Youngsters who do not get a theatre release or OTT deal can upload their films on YouTube. If the film is good, it will go viral on its own." Aamir Khan's production company is planning to use this model to promote new talent. He will himself curate some films and will take only a small commission himself, giving more profit to the producer.

Further plans

After 'Sitar Zameen Par', Aamir Khan has two big films:

• 'Lahore 1947' (with Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta
• 'Ek Din' (with Junaid Khan and Sai Pallavi)

Both these films are being made under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions.

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