Aamir Khan is trying something very different this time. Instead of selling his new film, Sitaare Zameen Par, to an OTT platform like Netflix or Amazon Prime, he plans to release it directly on YouTube, but not for free. Viewers will have to pay a small amount to watch it, just like buying a ticket online. This is called pay-per-view, and it’s not something we usually see with big Bollywood films.
Normally, after a movie finishes its run in theatres, it goes to an OTT platform where subscribers can watch it as part of their monthly plan. But in that case, the producer earns a fixed amount by selling the rights. With Aamir’s YouTube plan, the audience pays directly to watch the film, and the money goes straight to the makers. That means if the movie is good and lots of people watch it, the team behind the film can earn more than they would through a regular OTT deal.
This move gives more power to the producers. It also sends a message to streaming platforms: filmmakers don’t have to depend only on them. If this works well, we might see more Bollywood movies following this path. It could change the game.
Aamir Khan has always been known for doing things differently, and this step is no exception. Now, all eyes are on whether the audience will accept this new way of watching movies at home. If they do, it might just shake up the entire film industry.