Aamir Khan Announces Paid YouTube Streaming Release Date of His Box Office Hit Sitaare Zameen Par
Mumbai, July 29 - Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan is shaking up the Indian film distribution landscape with a historical move for his box office hit Sitaare Zameen Par. Although Aamir had already shared his plans regarding the future of his films, today, he confirmed the same. ## On Tuesday (July 29), the Dangal star announced that Sitaare Zameen Par will be released exclusively on YouTube Movies-on-Demand starting August 1. It will be available for rent at ₹100 ($1.15) in India and 38 international markets, including the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, Germany, and Indonesia, with localised pricing for each territory. ## Aamir Khan told Variety that his long dream has been to make films available to almost every household in the country, as the people who watch movies in theatres are only 2-3% of the total population. He believes that subscription models are not economically viable for films to do that, not over a long-term period, hence he is favouring YouTube's pay-per-view model. ## This is a major move regarding the film's post-theatrical distribution, which could make streaming platforms uncomfortable. To take this approach, Aamir Khan reportedly rejected the offer of 120 crores from a leading streaming platform to sell the post-theatrical rights. ## Aamir Khan said, "If a family of four sits and watches the film, then it comes to ₹25 per head, which I think is a value that works not just for the audiences, but also allows filmmakers to earn so they can make better content."## Directed by RS Prasanna and produced by Aamir Khan Films, Sitaare Zameen Par is a spiritual successor to Khan's 2007 film Taare Zameen Par, and also stars Genelia Deshmukh. It is an official remake of the 2018 Spanish film Champions, and follows a suspended basketball coach who must serve community service by helping a team of players with disabilities prepare for a tournament. ## Released on June 20, SZP has been a box office hit with the worldwide collection of around 270 crores gross. In India, the movie has made over 200 crores gross, while overseas collection is around 67 crores. The movie, meanwhile, will be available for pay-per-view streaming on YouTube after just 6 weeks of theatrical run. ## Stay tuned...