YouTube > Netflix? Start of a New Revolution?

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta has voiced his support for Aamir Khan’s unconventional decision to release Sitaare Zameen Par on YouTube just six weeks after its theatrical run. The move comes despite Aamir’s earlier statement that the film would not be available on any OTT platform for six months.

Mehta believes this approach could be a game-changer in film distribution. By bypassing traditional OTT platforms and choosing YouTube’s massive reach with simple UPI-based payments, Aamir is tapping into audiences who either avoid OTT subscriptions or prefer one-time, affordable access.

This isn’t an anti-OTT or anti-theatre strategy — rather, it’s an experiment with flexible, creator-friendly distribution windows. According to Mehta, this model has the potential to give films a “second life” after theatres while making them accessible to a much wider audience.

“YouTube is reachable to almost everyone,” Mehta noted, adding that the platform’s accessibility can boost a film’s post-theatrical survival. He sees it as a distribution reform that could benefit both creators and viewers if it proves successful.

With Bollywood under constant pressure to adapt to shifting viewing habits, this bold middle path between theatres and OTT could set a new precedent — one that might reshape how Indian films are released in the future.