YouTube to SonyLIV: What Happened to Aamir’s OTT Plan?

Aamir Khan’s film Sitaare Zameen Par is now preparing for its official OTT release. The makers have chosen SonyLIV as the streaming platform for the digital premiere. The move comes after the film earlier experimented with an unconventional online release strategy.

The sports drama had first appeared on YouTube through a paid rental model. Viewers were required to pay around Rs 100 to watch the film. The approach attracted attention because major Hindi films rarely choose YouTube as their primary digital platform.

Many fans criticised the decision at the time. Some viewers felt that a well known actor like Aamir Khan should have chosen a mainstream streaming platform instead. However, the actor reportedly believed the YouTube rental model could succeed.

Official numbers about the film’s YouTube performance were never publicly shared. Industry observers believe the results may not have matched expectations. The decision to bring the film to SonyLIV has added to that speculation.

Another challenge came from online piracy. After the YouTube release, the film was quickly copied and circulated on several third party websites and applications. This made it easier for viewers to watch the film without paying.

Because of this early availability, many audiences may have already seen the sports drama. The film features Aamir Khan and Genelia D’Souza in lead roles. Attracting a new audience on SonyLIV could therefore become difficult.

The film is also almost a year old now. Despite the upcoming OTT release announcement, an official streaming date has not yet been confirmed. Viewers are waiting for the platform to reveal the schedule soon.

Only time will reveal how the film performs on SonyLIV. The digital premiere may help it reach viewers who missed the earlier release. However, expectations about attracting a large new audience remain uncertain.