Aamir Khan is standing firm on his belief in the big screen. His upcoming film Sitaare Zameen Par, releasing June 20, has reportedly turned down a massive ₹120 crore offer from Amazon Prime Video.
According to trade reports, Khan doesn’t want an early OTT release. He wants audiences back in theatres.
It’s not the first time he’s rejected a streaming deal. Netflix was also reportedly interested. But Khan has been consistent: no streaming platforms, at least not right away. Instead, he’s considering a pay-per-view release on YouTube after a theatrical run, giving him full control over timing and pricing.
His reasoning is clear. In an interview, he compared early OTT drops to handing out your product for free just weeks after launch. “It doesn’t make sense to me,” he said. And he’s not wrong as many filmmakers share this frustration.
But the question is: will this work?
The theatrical landscape today is shaky. Even well-made films struggle to break even, and audience footfall hasn’t bounced back to pre-pandemic levels. For Sitaare Zameen Par to outperform a ₹120 crore offer, it’ll need serious box office legs that something no one can guarantee.
Aamir’s faith in cinema is admirable. But in today’s market, it’s also a high-stakes bet. Whether audiences reward that faith will become clear soon enough.