Aamir Khan gambles with YouTube release, experts doubt pay-per-view traction

Mint

5 days ago

Aamir Khan's bold move to release his latest movie Sitaare Zameen Par on YouTube, after a theatrical stint, instead of selling its rights to a streaming platform may not pay off, trade experts cautioned.
The pay-per-view model on YouTube could help the film make just about ₹25-30 crore over the next few months as audiences pay ₹100 for each viewing, with the revenue to be split in a ratio of 55:45 in favour of the popular actor. By comparison, an OTT deal would have brought Khan at least ₹125 crore, they said.
Also TVoD (transaction video-on-demand), or pay-per-view, hasn't really taken off in the country even as piracy continues to pose a big challenge to the movie business.
'TVoD is an established protocol internationally and even companies like Zee and Amazon have tried it domestically. So, it's not like it's never been attempted before. But deals like this definitely don't help make as much as an upfront OTT deal and it is likely that the film will eventually make its way to an SVoD (subscription video on demand) platform, albeit at a much lower price than would have been offered initially," said a film producer on the condition of anonymity.
This person further pointed out that compared to mature markets like the West, not premiering the film on OTT is unlikely to have helped it find a big theatrical draw or bolstered its collections by a huge margin. Also, given that Sitaare Zamin Par's release strategy is the first experiment of its kind, it hasn't made adequate noise and marketing has been below par. On the other hand, services like Netflix and Prime Video go all out to promote films acquired after the theatrical release, coordinating media and fan interactions and special promos. YouTube, that works as a platform for all user-generated content, rarely pushes for individual titles to the same degree.
On the launch of the film on YouTube, Khan had admitted in a conversation with Mint that TVoD has seen fairly low traction in India so far. But recent developments could aid its growth. 'UPI has ensured the payments mechanism is no longer cumbersome. Add to that improving internet penetration and a platform with such a large footprint, and I think this is the right time to experiment with pay-per-view," Khan had added.
According to Comscore data for March 2024, YouTube reached four in five internet users in India aged 18. Entertainment-related content represented over 7.5 billion daily views on YouTube in 2024.
Film producer Shariq Patel welcomed the experiment, saying it's encouraging that Indian creators like Khan are adopting the globally-established six-week window between a film's theatrical debut and its online release, including pay-per-view.
'But the practice needs to be followed consistently by others in the industry. It would be difficult for consumer behaviour to evolve if this is just a one-off," Patel added.
To be sure, some industry experts believe that Khan's move makes business sense given the wide reach of YouTube, something that no OTT platform, foreign or homegrown, can match. The Ficci-EY media and entertainment report said YouTube reached 800 million in India in 2024, and average daily YouTube consumption by online adults aged 35 years or above stood at 80-plus minutes.
'Plus, they will get data on viewership and engagement more easily, something that platforms such as Netflix and Prime Video rarely part with. This would help them plan content and marketing strategies, going forward," said Yusuf Shaikh, business head of feature films at production and distribution firm Percept Pictures.