Hansal Mehta Calls Aamir Khan`s Decision To Release Sitaare Zameen Par `Smart`

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AUGUST 01,2025

Aamir Khan took the internet by storm after he announced releasing Sitaare Zameen Par on YouTube and not on any OTT platform. This has caused a stir in the industry, especially amongin the OTT business. While many are questioning his decision, filmmaker Hansal Mehta called it a 'smart move.'

Sitaare Zameen Par, the sequel to the 2007 Taare Zameen Par, received massive love during its theatrical run. It performed exceptionally well at the box office and collected around 160 crore domestically.

After running in cinemas for six weeks, the makers have decided to release the film on YouTube with a subscription fee of Rs. 100. The movie will be available to stream on YouTube from August 1.

What Hansal Mehta said on Sitaare Zameen Par's YouTube release

The Bollywood filmmaker has come forward and extended support to Aamir's decision to release the movie on the video-sharing platform. He emphasised that the move should be celebrated rather than criticised.

Taking it to X (formerly Twitter), Mehta's note started with, 'Aamir Khan releasing Sitaare Zameen Par on YouTube as a payperview title after its theatrical run is not a threat to anyone. It's a smart, forwardlooking move that deserves applause, not kneejerk criticism.'

Also Read:Aamir Khan Takes Sitaare Zameen Par To YouTube For Rs 100, Ditches OTT Release

He continued, 'Our ecosystem is skewed toward instant gratification and a handful of giant spectacles. Theatrical windows are treated like rigid commandments, while OTT has become the only posttheatrical refuge. So many thoughtful films vanish or languish. That's neither sustainable nor fair to the diversity of work we produce. If this model works, it will embolden more producers to back films that don't follow the herd mentality currently dominating the sector.'

Hansal Mehta's Sitaare Zameen Par dichotomy

The Omerta director further jotted down pointers about what this move means, not just for the moviegoers but also for aspiring filmmakers and creators.

Hansal added, "What this move actually does:

1. Reclaims control for creators.

When and how a film meets its audience should be a maker's choice, not a gatekept decree.

Also Read:Hansal Mehta and Kangana Ranaut Clash Amidst Kunal Kamra Controversy

2. Adds a durable revenue stream.

OTT can't be the only posttheatrical option. Flexible windows and PPV create longer, healthier film lives.

3. Democratises access.

Reasonable pricing, easy payments, and YouTube's universal reach can take cinema beyond multiplexes and curated SVOD shelves.

The longrun upside: a healthier flywheel. If payperview finds its footing at sensible price points, it creates a reliable midtail revenue layer between theatres and subscription deals."

Hansal Mehta concluded by saying, "That extra layer does three things over time:

1. Recycles money back into risk.

More cash flows after theatrical release mean producers can fund aries, first features, regional stories, and formally daring workmdashnot just 'safe bets.'

2. Builds habit and audience data.

Direct PPV performance gives makers clearer signals about price sensitivity, genres, and regions. Better signals = better greenlighting.

3. Expands the market, not just the share.

When films are accessible on familiar rails (YouTube, UPI, simple UI), total paying audiences grow. A bigger pie allows more kinds of films to be made and sustained.

This isn't a war against theatres or streamers. It's distribution reform. Theatrical windows should flex, not break OTT should be an avenue, not the dependency. With reasonable pricing, ease of payment, and a clean UI, true democratisation stops being a pipedream and becomes policy by practice.

Celebrate experiments like this. They could be the bridge that lets more films breathe, travel, and be discovered on their own timelines, on audiences' own terms."

Aamir Khan plans to release more of his films, like Lagaan, Taare Zameen Par, and Peepli Live, on YouTube under the Aamir Khan Productions banner.