Aamir Khan Talks About Sitaare Zameen Par Pay-per-view Model

Aamir Khan also known as Mr. Perfectionist for his bold and unconventional film choices says he fearful before every project. In a recent conversation with ETimes, the 59-year-old star revealed that despite his reputation, he is not fearless at all.

“There is a lot of fear every time I am doing a film, and unfortunately, my choices are also unusual. But I can’t help but make them,” he said. Sharing an example, Aamir recalled shooting Dangal right after PK and Dhoom 3. “People thought I was 30-35; they didn’t know I was 55. I thought, ‘If I do Dangal, people will see my real age’,” he laughed. Adding, “But it was in my blood; I had to do it.”

Explaining his process for selecting films, Aamir said he goes purely by instinct and not market trends. “I am not thinking about what the audience wants to see. I am thinking about what I want to make,” he added.

The actor also spoke about his deep attachment with cinema and theatres. “Cinemas came first, then theatres came to serve cinema. Earlier, there was no theatre, they would put up a screen and show films through a projector. Then tents came, and later permanent theatres. Cinema is what I am protecting, and emotionally, I am very tied to theatres. The theatrical experience cannot be replaced by anything else,” he said.

Aamir’s latest release, Sitaare Zameen Par, hit theatres in June and is now available on his YouTube channel for Rs 100 per view. Explaining this pay-per-view model, he said, “We are able to reach only 2-3 percent of our population in the theatrical business, even for the biggest hits. For a film like Sitaare Zameen Par, about one crore people would have watched it in theatres. Without enough theatres being built, this model is perhaps the only way to reach the majority of India.”

Directed by RS Prasanna, the film follows Gulshan Arora (Aamir Khan), a hot-headed basketball coach who trains a team of adults with special abilities, turning punishment into a journey of acceptance and growth.

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