In a bold move, Aamir Khan is set to release his upcoming film, ‘Sitaare Zameen Par,’ directly on YouTube, foregoing the usual OTT platform route. This decision reflects the actor’s observations on how streaming services are influencing the theatrical film industry. The film will be available on the ‘Aamir Khan Talkies’ YouTube channel.
Starting August 1, viewers can watch the film for Rs 100. The release plan includes availability in several countries, including the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, Germany, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Spain, with price adjustments for each region. The movie will also be available with dubbed and subtitled options.
Khan stated about this decision, “For the past 15 years, I have been struggling with the challenge of how to reach audiences who do not have geographical access to theatres, or those who are unable to make it to theatres for various reasons. Finally, the time for the perfect storm has come… With our government bringing in UPI and India becoming no 1 in the world in electronic payments, with internet penetration in India having grown dramatically and growing every day, and with YouTube being on most devices, we can finally reach vast sections of people in India, and a significant part of the world.”
He further explained, “My dream is that Cinema should reach everyone at a reasonable and affordable price. I want people to have the ease of watching Cinema when they want, where they want. If this idea works, Creative voices can tell different stories, breaking geographical and other barriers. This will also be a great opportunity for younger creative people entering the field of Cinema. If this idea works, then I see this as a win-win for all.”
‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ stars Genelia D’souza alongside Aamir Khan. The supporting cast includes Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishnan Varma, Vedant Sharmaa, Naman Misra, Rishi Shahani, Ashish Pendse, Samvit Desai, Simran Mangeshkar, Aayush Bhansali, Dolly Ahluwalia, Gurpal Singh, Brijendra Kala, Zeenat Hussain and Nikhat Khan.