Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par to ditch OTT for pay-per-view model: Report

Skipping the big screen for OTT release has become a common norm in Bollywood. And Aamir Khan is about to shake things up. The actor is reportedly planning to skip the OTT release of his upcoming film, Sitaare Zameen Par, and instead opt for a pay-per-view model. Also read: Sitaare Zameen Par poster: Aamir Khan teases story about special people and fans are ‘ready to sob’; film out next month

Aamir Khan to skip the OTT route

According to Hollywood Reporter India, Aamir is keen to opt for a pay-per-view model for the comedy drama Sitaare Zameen Par and not release it on an OTT platform. The film is aiming for a release on June 20 in the theatres.

After the big-screen outing, Sitaare Zameen Par will be available for pay-per-view on YouTube two months later.

At the moment, Hindi films premiere on OTT eight weeks after their theatrical release, which Aamir has called out before, too. Now, Aamir is set to tackle the issue in his own way.

“Aamir doesn't want to release his films directly on streaming after their theatrical run, as it discourages viewers from watching movies on the big screen. It is also a reason why there is no streaming logo on the poster of Sitaare Zameen Par," said a source.

It is being reported that Aamir Khan initially planned to release Laal Singh Chaddha on Netflix six months after its August 2022 theatrical debut, targeting January 2023. However, the film ended up streaming on Netflix after just eight weeks.

“The decision involves multiple factors. Of course, there is a perception that non-spectacle films are better suited for OTT platforms, which has led many to skip them in theatres. Pay-per-view, however, creates a cinema-like urgency, as viewers would need to pay specifically for the film rather than accessing it freely through a subscription model. This consumer-centric approach benefits both viewers and producers, giving the latter more control over their content. Aamir wants to see how this plays out, so we shall know details in the coming weeks," added the source.

More about the movie

Sitaare Zameen Par is a spiritual sequel to the 2007 film Taare Zameen Par. Alongside Aamir, the film also stars Darsheel Safary and Genelia D'Souza in pivotal roles. It follows the transformative journey of a man who, through his interactions with children who perceive the world differently, is compelled to confront his own shortcomings. The film marks Aamir’s return to cinemas following the debacle of his last release, Laal Singh Chaddha. 

Earlier in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Aamir spoke about Sitaare Zameen Par, saying: “Well, it’s a beautiful story. Actually, the easiest way I can describe it is that Taare Zameen Par is a very emotional film that makes you cry. Sitaare Zameen Par makes you laugh; it’s a humorous film. The theme is similar – about people with different abilities, different intelligence, or different challenges – but it’s humour instead of emotion”.

He also shared that the sequel will go beyond the original. Aamir said, “In many ways, I feel it’s way ahead of Taare Zameen Par, because in Taare Zameen Par, the person with the challenge – Ishaan – was helped by my character. In Sitaare Zameen Par, it’s ten people with challenges who help me, the supposedly ‘normal’ person. So I feel it goes much further. I hope it turns out well.”

At Waves Summit 2025, Aamir said, "If I have to be honest with my audience while marketing my film, I have to tell them my film is releasing, but all those who are on a particular subscription have bought my film, they don’t need to come to the theatres. The ones who are not on this OTT, please come. This is the communication I have to make with honesty, but it is awkward. The window between theatrical and OTT is too small. You’re killing your own business.”