After saying earlier that he won’t be releasing Sitaare Zameen Par on OTT platforms, Aamir Khan has now maintained that he is open to releasing the film on streaming platforms as he believes there is an audience for it on them. The actor had earlier released the film on YouTube on pay-per-view basis just six months after its theatrical release.
Speaking on The Town podcast, Aamir said, “I’m not trying to eat into anyone’s space, I’m just trying to create a space that should have been there to begin with. The reason PPV didn’t take off is because our electronic payments weren’t in place, but because of UPI, there’s a huge difference. All of us use electronic modes of payment. Now is the time to create a window that exists in the rest of the world.”
He added, “The bulk of India does not subscribe to OTT platforms, but there is a section that does, and I’m one of them. My only issue is that the window is too short, and it doesn’t allow for a pay-per-view window. We need a pay-per-view window between theatrical and OTT, and that’s what I’m pushing to create.”
Aamir said that he wanted to take the film on OTT after six months of its release in theatres. “But none of them were comfortable with that period. They wanted two months, and they weren’t ready to go ahead with the deal. I still feel there is an audience that would watch it on Netflix or Amazon, when it does come on an OTT channel, if they so decide. But the window needs to be six months or five months. My first priority is theatres, and I feel every film needs to be handled differently,” he said.
When he was asked if he is open to release the film on OTT, Aamir said, “Why not? I’ve always wanted my films to come on OTT platforms, but the period has to be six months.”
Sitaare Zameen Par released in theatres on June 20 and came on YouTube on August 1.
