A smart pay-per-view model could reshape film distribution economics

In a recent interview with this newspaper, actor and filmmaker Aamir Khan said that his latest movie would release on YouTube’s pay-per-view (PPV) platform at ₹100, a move that signals a potential shift in how India consumes cinema. While Mr Khan’s film earned over ₹250 crore in theatres, it reached only 2-3 per cent of the population. According to a study by Cinemaprofile.com, around 70 per cent of theatres nationwide are located in South India and Maharashtra, leaving large parts of the Hindi heartland underserved. The Ficci-EY M&E Report 2025 further highlighted this imbalance, noting a 17 per cent growth rate in digital media and a 5 per cent decline in film revenues.

 

With expensive OTT (over the top) subscriptions and a limited theatrical reach, YouTube could fill the gap and also take Indian cinema to a wider global audience. According to Comscore, YouTube reached 445 million Indians in April 2025. Unlike OTT subscriptions, where users pay a monthly or yearly fee regardless of usage, YouTube’s PPV model allows viewers to pay only when they want to watch something. This is particularly useful for those who cannot afford regular OTT subscriptions or don’t consume enough content to justify the cost. In a country where many are still to come online and remain highly price-sensitive, this kind of “pay only when you watch” system might prove effective. Although PPV hasn’t been widely adopted in India yet, typical rental prices currently range between ₹170 and ₹250. If PPV is priced well (say, ₹50 to ₹100), it could attract a broad audience and benefit creators, producers, and viewers alike.

 

Still, the PPV model will require thoughtful innovation to succeed. India’s digital landscape is fragmented. According to the Ficci-EY M&E Report 2025, 89 per cent of time spent on YouTube was on mobile devices and 9 per cent was via connected TVs. There are 562 million smartphone users, and about 30 million households have connected TVs. To make PPV truly inclusive, platforms will need to offer regional-language content, flexible pricing, and mobile-first formats that work on low-bandwidth connections. With 48 per cent of OTT content in 2024 already in regional languages, the demand is evident. Artificial intelligence-powered dubbing and subtitling tools can further reduce content adaptation costs and make films more accessible across linguistic lines.

 

Government support and public infrastructure investment will also be crucial. BharatNet’s expansion, along with schemes promoting digital literacy and smartphone access, can boost PPV uptake in rural India. More affordable data, better last-mile connectivity, and content funding for vernacular creators could unlock storytelling at scale. In the long run, PPV could serve as a bridge between theatrical releases and mobile-first viewing. If widely adopted, it could help monetise thousands of small- and mid-budget films that struggle to find OTT buyers or theatrical slots. As box-office revenues stagnate and OTT growth plateaus, a well-executed PPV ecosystem could reshape the economics of film distribution, bringing cinema closer to millions not just as entertainment but as a cultural experience, available on demand, in one’s language, and at a price they can afford.