Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan has announced a groundbreaking digital release strategy for his latest film, Sitaare Zameen Par. Rather than debuting on traditional OTT platforms, the film will be available from August 1 on YouTube under a pay‑per‑view model, priced at ₹100 in India.

Aamir introduced the initiative as “Janta ka Theatre,” aiming to democratize cinema. He highlighted that only 2–3 % of Indians attend theatres, while YouTube reaches 55 crore users daily. With widespread accessibility and UPI-led digital payments, he believes this model can reach every corner of India and major global markets, bypassing OTT platforms entirely.

The film will launch with subtitles and dubbed versions in key languages and is set to stream in over 38 international markets, with region‑specific pricing.

This bold move tests a new digital distribution paradigm in Indian cinema — can YouTube become a viable alternative to OTT platforms long term?