WAVES Summit: Aamir Khan says 8-week gap between theatrical and OTT release 'faulty'

Bollywood's 'Mr. Perfectionist' Aamir Khan stands as a towering figure in Indian cinema, having entertained audiences globally with numerous box office hits and maintained his spot in Bollywood for more than three decades through his thoughtful storytelling. Loved across the globe, Aamir Khan has made a lasting impact on showbiz through his films. Although OTT platforms have transformed how content is consumed, Aamir remains critical of their business structure, calling it flawed.

At the Waves Summit 2025, Aamir spoke extensively about theaters and OTT as business models. He started by saying, "Well, I just feel that, you see earlier films would come in theatres and then it would, I remember many years back it would be a year later on satellite then it became 8 months back on satellite then it became 6 months back on satellite. So what happens is, I have choice as audience, ok, I can watch in theatre as it releases or I can wait 6 months and watch it on satellite. Today what is happening is that, I have said this one place earlier - if I'm selling you this whatever is in my hand and we sell so many products in the world I want to know if any product has this business model is that here is something I'm selling you buy this from me I tell you buy this from me at 10 rs, 100 rs whatever the cost maybe and if you don't I'll come and drop it at your house after 8 weeks, this is the business model we are currently following, correct me if I'm wrong because of a film is releasing i know I can go in theatre and pay for it or I can wait for it to come on OTT and I can watch it that I have already paid for it. So if I have to be very honest with my audience when I'm marketing my film, I have to tell my audience that my film is releasing but all those people who are on this particular subscription on this particular OTT they've already bought my film. They don't need to come to the theatres. The ones who are not in the OTT please come and watch my film. This is the communication I have to take with all this honesty which is an awkward communication."

"So, according to me that window is too small that between theatrical and OTT. You are killing your own business. If I tell you buy a Maruti car and if you don't I'll drop it at your house in four weeks then why will you buy? You will say, ha drop it at my house in 8 weeks I'll wait. And like a price sensitive country like India it's a big deal so I have seriously feel like that you have to you know this is something that's need to be looked at," added Aamir.

He further said, "In my opinion, It's just a funny model and then often in discussion that we have in films where and when we meet they are like why are we doing not well. Hello? You are telling the audience don't come that's why they are not doing well. I mean usually they go into but we are not making good enough films. I'm saying that is a different topic, better your film is good or your film is bad this business model doesn't make sense to me."

"If I make a very good film this business still doesn't make sense to me, so I'm saying irrespective of quality of film that is a seperate topic entirely right remove that from the business aspect of it I make a good film I make a bad film doesn't matter . What is my business model which according to me currently it's a very faulty business model," concluded Aamir.

On the professional front, Aamir Khan is currently gearing up for his much anticipated, a spiritual sequel to Taare Zameen Par titled Sitaare Zameen Par. The movie is produced under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions and directed by RS Prasanna and stars Aamir Khan and Genelia Deshmukh in lead roles.