Aamir Khan releases Sitaare Zameen Par on YouTube via pay-per-view model globally.
The theatrical hit earned ₹250 crore and is now priced at ₹100 for Indian viewers.
YouTube chosen over OTT to expand affordable and flexible access to premium cinema.
Unlike OTT's fixed payout, YouTube offers revenue based on actual viewership.
After a superhit theatrical release of Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par, the actor-producer has decided to release the film on You Tube at an accessible price across the world. The decision sets a new precedent for film distribution globally and will make the movie exclusively available on the platform on a pay-per-view model basis from August 1 onwards.
The film starring actor-producer Aamir Khan, Genelia Deshmukh and 10 actors with intellectual disabilities will be available in India at a price of Rs 100 and also in 38 international markets, including USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, among others, with local pricing for each market.
Following its theatrical release, the film was loved by audiences and had crossed ₹250 crore worldwide. Now, after this strategic move by the filmmakers, audiences can rent the movie by paying a fee and watch it as per their ease.
Why Aamir Khan Chose YouTube?
Khan’s latest move is a step towards making premium cinema accessible to a wider set of audience, whether at their home or while travelling - all they require is an internet connection. For many people who missed watching the film at theatres or wish to re-watch it, this serves as a high-quality and affordable option.
Expanding the access of cinema, Sitaare Zameen Par will also offer subtitles and dubs in key languages.
Although initially averse towards digitally releasing the film, Khan has now green-lighted the movie’s heightened access. However, he still stands strong against an OTT release and has stuck to releasing it on YouTube. In the upcoming days, this will also be the destination where all other favourite films from Aamir Khan Productions will be available.
Significance of the Collaboration
This notable collaboration also marks YouTube’s growing role in leveraging reach and evolving distribution strategies, making the platform a premier destination for post-theatrical film and media content. According to Comscore, YouTube reached 4 out of 5 Internet users in India aged 18+, while entertainment videos on YouTube generated over 7.5 billion views on a daily basis globally, in 2024.
Addressing the launch of the movie, Actor-Producer Aamir Khan said, “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 everyday, and with YouTube being on most devices, we can finally reach vast sections of people in India, and a significant part of the world. 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.”
Highlighting the strategic importance of this collaboration, Gunjan Soni, Country Managing Director, YouTube India said as quoted by Firstpost, “The digital launch of Sitaare Zameen Par exclusively on YouTube underscores a significant step towards democratizing Indian film distribution at a global scale. YouTube is already a key digital destination for premium content, and we’re excited to offer filmmakers and content owners not only our unparalleled digital reach but also the control and flexibility to meet their audiences where they are. Today’s launch is far more than a release - YouTube is laying out the red carpet for Indian cinema to stride onto the global stage.”
Youtube vs OTT
In terms of revenue for filmmakers, OTT platforms and YouTube are different models with distinct financial implications. In the case of OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar or JioCinema, filmmakers usually earn by selling the content or licensing the deal. Here, the platforms pay an upfront lump-sum amount to acquire the streaming rights to the film, which again varies depending on the scale of the production, star cast, and market potential. Movies with major star cast usually around ₹70 to ₹150 crore or more. The key advantage here is the predictable and guaranteed income as filmmakers are paid regardless of how the film performs on the platform in terms of views.
However, in the case of YouTube, the platform offers a performance-based revenue model where the money is primarily generated through advertisements shown during the video. These ads are managed through Google AdSense and the payout depends on factors like viewer geography, watch time as well as engagement. For Indian audiences, the average earnings can be widely different from international views. Thereby, YouTube offers full creative and distribution control to the filmmaker but no revenue guarantee as the earnings depend entirely on how well the film performs.
