'Even if my film is a huge hit, only 3% of India sees it; what about rest?'

Aamir Khan Productions had refused to enter any streaming deal before the release of Sitaare Zameen Par, wanting the film to find its audience in theatres. Earlier this week, after the film’s success, the company announced its streaming plan. Sitaare Zameen Par will be released on YouTube’s movies-on-demand service on August 1 at ₹100 per view. Actor-producer Aamir Khan and YouTube India’s Country Managing Director Gunjan Soni speak with Vanita Kohli-Khandekar in Mumbai to unpack the move. Edited excerpts:

 

What is the logic behind putting Sitaare Zameen Par on YouTube?

 

Aamir Khan: About 15 years ago, I came across some statistics that were quite shocking. The biggest hit in Hindi cinema gets a footfall of roughly 30–35 million people — that’s just 2–3 per cent of India’s population. We aren’t able to serve this large country through theatrical releases because India has very few theatres. (Note: India has 8,700 screens compared to 80,000 in China and 38,000 in the US.) Even if my film is a huge hit, only 2–3 per cent of the population sees it. How do I reach the remaining 97 per cent? As creative people, we make our films with a lot of love and want to reach everyone.

 

Back then, there was pay-per-view on Tata Sky and Dish TV, but the payment gateways and the whole process were very cumbersome. So I didn’t go ahead with the idea. Now, it’s the perfect time for three reasons.

 

One, India is now well-versed in electronic payments, thanks to our government bringing in Unified Payments Interface. Two, internet penetration has grown, which is imperative if you want to use digital as a medium to reach everyone. (Note: 523 million Indians were online in April 2025, according to Comscore.) Three, I was looking for a platform strong and large enough to potentially reach the maximum audience in the country. YouTube came to India in 2008 and has grown dramatically. When these three came together, I realised the time was right. I reached out to YouTube, and they came on board. 

 

What does this mean for YouTube?

 

Gunjan Soni: This move strongly resonates with YouTube’s mission. It’s a powerful vision — to democratise the reach of content to every Indian, or to any relevant audience globally. That’s what YouTube stands for. Second, it provides control and flexibility to the content owner. The ₹100 pricing, the countries you want to launch in, pricing in each country, the language — all of these are your choices. It’s a platform Indian cinema can truly use. 

For years, YouTube has said it’s a partner — to broadcasters, studios, over-the-top or publishers — helping showcase or market their offerings. Doesn’t this put it in direct competition with them?

 

Gunjan Soni: Fundamentally, this is about expanding the pie. YouTube has been home to Indian cinema for a long time. The journey and excitement around a film’s launch — trailers, behind-the-scenes — all start on YouTube. Just the videos and buzz around Sitaare Zameen Par have crossed 370 million views on Aamir Khan Talkies. That’s the channel Aamir Khan Productions launched in April to promote the film on YouTube. That’s tremendous fandom. The question is, how do you convert that into the ability to purchase? That is true democratisation.

 

How does this play out in other markets? 

Soni: It’s a matter of choosing countries, languages, and local pricing options. Some countries don’t yet have the movies-on-demand option. The intent is to keep broadening the footprint. Right now, it’s available in 45 to 50 countries.

 

In April 2025, YouTube reached 445 million Indians, according to Comscore. What are your expectations for how many people will pay to watch the film?

 

Soni: This has been the toughest question to grapple with. Here, success is defined in many ways — reach and awareness being key. That’s the true test of democratisation. We’re working with Aamir to ensure this message is getting through, both through conventional media and on YouTube. The hope is that the affordable pricing leads to transactions.

 

Aamir Khan: This is the first time the first window after theatres is pay-per-view. We haven’t sold our subscription rights — to protect both theatres and the pay-per-view model. These are all new territories. We don’t know what this adventure will unfold. But as a creative person, it has always been my dream that my film reaches every Indian, and people across the globe. They can then choose whether to watch it or not.

 

How did you decide on the ₹100 price?

 

Khan: We looked at various things. Pay-per-view hasn’t been popular in India. We examined the usual pricing of rented films — it ranges from ₹170–180 at the low end, to ₹230–250. I wanted to go below that. We’ll learn as we go. It should be a win-win for the creative team, the investors, and the audience. If a family of four watches the film together, that’s ₹25 per head. That’s a good deal. 

 

Soni: Aamir has chosen the pricing for India. He’s chosen different pricing for different countries. The main criterion is affordability. Also, the family viewing experience is something Aamir has been very clear about — both for this film and this genre. You can even change the pricing over time.

 

A lot of YouTube is consumed on smart TVs, currently in 40–50 million homes (about 200 million people). If smart TVs hadn’t taken off, would this have been a viable proposition?

 

Soni: You’re right — it really helps, especially for Indian cinema and the big-screen experience. CTV (connected/smart TV) has been our fastest-growing screen for years now.

 

Khan: And this works for family viewing. I really believe in that. I come from a generation that watched Chhaya Geet together — not just our family, but the neighbours too. Cinema was called a mass medium. I’m not sure that’s true anymore.

 

If you’re watching Pushpa 2: The Rule, isn’t that a mass medium?

 

Khan: No. When I say mass medium, I mean the labour force. Can they afford to watch it? It’s very difficult. I want to make films a mass medium once again. 

 

What if Sitaare Zameen Par hadn’t done well in theatres?

 

Khan: Then I wouldn’t have done this experiment right now. I don’t want the idea to fail because of the film. The best way to test this is with a film that’s loved. Sitaare Zameen Par has done really well in theatres — a little over ₹250 crore. We’re not testing the film anymore; we’re testing the idea.

 

Soni: From our perspective, it’s not just about one film. This is a commitment to a different monetisation pathway for the industry. And it’s something that will need continuous refinement.

 

A bulk of your India revenues (estimated at ₹14,300 crore in 2024) comes from advertising. Does this mean YouTube’s subscription play will now grow?

 

Soni: Absolutely. On one hand, we’re rolling out the red carpet for Indian cinema to step onto the global stage with confidence. On the other, it means YouTube is becoming the pre-eminent platform for post-theatrical release.