Filmmaker Hansal Mehta has come out in support of Aamir Khan’s decision to release Sitaare Zameen Par on YouTube on a pay-per-view basis. Hansal wrote a detailed note on X, sharing that the move deserves applause and not “knee-jerk criticism”.
He said that the decision is “smart and forward-looking”, calling the current eco-system, “skewed toward instant gratification and a handful of giant spectacles”. “Theatrical windows are treated like rigid commandments, while OTT has become the only post‑theatrical refuge. So many thoughtful films vanish or languish. That’s neither sustainable nor fair to the diversity of work we produce. If this model works, it will embolden more producers to back films that don’t follow the herd mentality currently dominating the sector,” he wrote.
Hansal gave a point-by-point analysis of what it means in the larger scheme of things, saying that the decision “reclaims control for creators” and “democratises access”. “Reasonable pricing, easy payments, and YouTube’s universal reach can take cinema beyond multiplexes and curated SVOD shelves. The long‑run upside: a healthier flywheel. If pay‑per‑view finds its footing at sensible price points, it creates a reliable mid‑tail revenue layer between theatres and subscription deals,” he added.
He also feels that the move will lead to an expansion of the market. “When films are accessible on familiar rails (YouTube, UPI, simple UI), total paying audiences grow. A bigger pie allows more kinds of films to be made and sustained.”
Hansal further said that it isn’t a “war against theatres or streamers” but called it a “distribution reform”. He wrote, “Theatrical windows should flex, not break; OTT should be an avenue, not the dependency. With reasonable pricing, ease of payment, and a clean UI, true democratisation stops being a pipe‑dream and becomes policy by practice. Celebrate experiments like this. They could be the bridge that lets more films breathe, travel, and be discovered on their own timelines, on audiences’ own terms.”
Aamir recently made the announcement of releasing Sitaare Zameen Par on YouTube after denying claims of the same earlier during the film’s promotions. The actor apologised for lying in a press conference earlier this week. “I had to protect the film's theatrical business hence I couldn't comment on the matter at the time," he reasoned.
The film was released in theatres on June 20 and is available to watch on YouTube at Rs 100.
