Aamir Khan made a path-breaking announcement today, July 29, at a five-star hotel in Mumbai that he’ll release his recent hit film, Sitaare Zameen Par, on YouTube. The superstar has opted for a pay-per-view model, that is, one can pay Rs. 100 film to rent the film. Discussions about such a mode were going on even before the film was out. Aamir was asked about it, but he denied any such plans to many journalists. To all these reports, Aamir Khan, as a thoughtful gesture, apologized for lying.
Aamir Khan began by saying, “To all those journalists who asked me whether my film was coming on YouTube and I denied the same, I'd like to fold my hands and apologize for lying. Main kuch aur bol nahin paa raha tha. I wanted to protect the theatrical business. Meri shuruaat hui hai cinema se and I am very loyal to theatres. Hence, I'll make all efforts to protect the theatrical business. Hence, while doing this experiment, we wanted to protect the theatres. As a result, I had to say that I am not bringing my film on YouTube. Woh mujhe kehna pada aur uske liye main maafi chahta hoon. Unfortunately, I had to lie. If I had not lied, mera jo sapna tha, woh wahin khatam ho jaata.”
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Aamir Khan’s decision to bring Sitaare Zameen Par in just six weeks of theatrical release has also raised eyebrows, especially when he often rejected the idea of a film releasing in 8 weeks on OTT. On this, he replied, “Pay-per-view model and subscription model mein zameen aasmaan ka farak hai. When I release my film after 8 weeks on a subscription model, a person who has bought a subscription to that OTT platform is not buying my film per se. He's paying to access films available on that platform. After a few months, he'll learn that my film is also available. He may or may not watch it. As a creative person, I'd like to take a thousand steps towards my audience. But I want my audience to take one step towards me. When we opt for a subscription model, we are, more or less, providing the film for free. Pay-per-view is the same model as the theatre. Theatre experience is different. You watch a film with 300-500 people. You laugh, cry and clap together. The theatre is equipped with Atmos sound. That is an experience and this is a different experience. In cinemas, viewers might feel more amazed. But on YouTube, viewers will have the option of convenience. Hence, it was my plan from the beginning to bring the film on YouTube at the end of its theatrical run.”
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Another journalist asked on the same lines and Aamir Khan said, “OTT is a totally different model. Let me make it clear that I have no objection to OTT platforms. But I don't like the arrangement that the film has to release on OTT 8 weeks after release. Hence, I moved away from it. I am not of the belief that the pay-per-view model can affect the theatrical business of my film.”
Also Read: Aamir Khan ADMITS that he was offered Rs. 125 cr for Sitaare Zameen Par’s OTT rights: “Mujhe woh badi company ke Rs 125 crore nahin chahiye. Mujhe meri audience ka sau rupaye chahiye”