Aamir Khan’s Bold Move On OTT: The Sitare Zameen Par Story
Insights on the impact of OTTs on film distribution
Aamir Khan takes a bold step in defying OTT platforms for his film Sitare Zameen Par, sharing his vision for the future of cinema. In this insightful conversation, Aamir talks about the changing landscape of film distribution, why he’s championing the pay-per-view model, and how digital shifts like UPI and internet penetration are reshaping the industry. He opens up about his personal journey, the risks of bypassing OTT deals, and the evolving role of traditional theatres in a post-pandemic world. Tune in for an inspiring discussion on how cinema can adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing digital world.
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TRANSCRIPT
Aamir Khan: Come, let's start.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Rolling? Yeah, rolling.
Aamir Khan: In the larger context or you know, looking at it in the long term, I feel that that is one of the things that's killing our business. I'm talking about cinema, the business of cinema. We always watch films pay-per-view.
We go to the theatre, we pay once and we watch the film once. So, pay-per-view is a model. That's how we watch films.
That's how we watch films. We go to the theatre once, we pay once and we watch the film once. If we want to watch the film again, we pay again and watch it again.
This is called a pay-per-view model.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Will this work for Laapataa Ladies?
Aamir Khan: Oh yes.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: See, because it found its audience on Netflix. I saw it in the theatre incident but it found its audience on Netflix.
Aamir Khan: I want to disagree over here. So, I wanted to reach, you know, the working class, the mass of India. I want them to see my films.
It was word of mouth. And word of mouth was so strong that almost the entire country has seen Three Idiots. But the fact is that that story had kind of entered my blood.
And as a creative person, it had to come out of me before I did anything else. When you're going to theatres, everyone tells you, listen, it better be a theatrical film. It better be an action film.
You know, that's the kind of mindset that we are all living in today.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar (host): Hi, welcome to the media room. I don't know how many of you have seen Sitaare Zameen Par. But Aamir Khan's latest production and the latest hit from that house is about inclusivity.
And that seems to be the film's commercial motive too. You know, when the film released, the production house did not, was categorical in saying that they will not do an OTT deal or sell rights to an OTT. It is only now, after the film has become a success, it's got about 250 crore at the box office, at a gross level, globally, that Khan made an announcement on the streaming release.
Sitaare Zameen Par will release on YouTube on August 1st at Rs 100 per view. For now, it will cover about 38 countries. This is USA, UK, Australia, Spain, Philippines, among many others.
And eventually, the idea is to take it to as many countries as possible on a pay-per-view sort of model. You know, on the sidelines of the announcement for this YouTube launch, the media room had a short chat with Aamir Khan on how Indian cinema can expand its market.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: When Sitaare Zameen Par was greenlit, what was the thought?
These things had come up as part of the strategy that it should not be put on OTT. No. When was it greenlit and what happened?
Aamir Khan: So, you see, when we decided to make Sitaare Zameen Par, it was quite early on. And it was at a time when it was after COVID.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: So, 21-22?
Aamir Khan: 21-22, yeah. And by that time, I think there was a sense in the industry that people would come to theatres, but only for the big-ticket films and for action films. So there was a number of people who advised me to do an action film or, you know, choose something which is more theatre-friendly from that point of view with now audiences wanting to come to theatres for action or big-ticket films.
But the fact is that that story had kind of entered my blood. And as a creative person, it had to come out of me before I did anything else. So, that was what, you know, that's what I decided to do.
And that's how I pretty much made all my decisions of the films that I want to do. If it's something that excites me, then I want to be a part of it and I want to, you know, make that film. So, but at that point of time, we, well, the fact is that I've been thinking of this for 15 years.
This idea.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: How to expand.
Aamir Khan: How to expand. And the first time I thought of it was during, during Three Idiots, when we, I spoke to, I remember, Puneet from Zee and they had the Dish TV, direct to home.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Yeah.
Aamir Khan: And Tata Sky had direct to home. So they were offering a pay-per-view facility. You had to call a number and then you had to top up your phone bill or something.
Recharge. You had to top up that. Yeah.
And then through that you could make the payment.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: It is complicated.
Aamir Khan: Long and cumbersome. And I remember trying that process. My manager at that time was Advait, who's now a film director.
So he was my manager and I asked him to just try and, you know, buy a film, rent a film. And he was on hold on the phone for about 45 minutes. At which point I realised that this idea is not yet.
So after the theatrical run of Three Idiots, I was wanting to go, you know, on a pay-per-view model. But it wasn't possible at that time. And then for various reasons, it was not happening.
And in a sense, in a way, I'm glad it didn't happen. Because I think that for this model to succeed, we needed two, three things in place. One of the things is easy payment gateways.
So electronic payments should be easy and people should be used to making electronic payments. That was something that a big shift happened when our government brought in UPI. And that's when a big shift happened.
And then suddenly, all of us as Indians started using, you know, digital payments. That was a big shift. In fact, today, India is a number one country for digital payments.
So that habit changing of Indians who are willing to now, you know, buy stuff online was a big shift and buying it easily, you know, whatever you wanted to purchase was very easy to buy online. That's one thing that was important for this model to work. The second thing that's important for this model to work is a strong internet penetration.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Yeah, which is there.
Aamir Khan: Because you're providing the film through internet. Now, over the years, internet penetration has only grown and it's become really strong now and it's growing. So these two things were very important.
I think these two things were not in place earlier.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: But in 22, when you're thinking of this film, was it there? And was the commercial part of it in your head? No, at that time, I just wanted to make a film.
Aamir Khan: No, at that time, I just wanted to make a film. I'm a weird type of person.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: I make films.
Aamir Khan: And then I had a partner with me in this case. So they were not very comfortable in breaking the model that was already in place. And that model was theatres and then you go to subscription model.
They were very comfortable with that. We were also getting a very good offer which was covering the cost and beyond.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Pre-sales was happening.
Aamir Khan: So they were very against not, you know, saying no to OTT. My feeling was that in the larger context or in, you know, looking at it in the long term, I feel that that is, that's one of the things that's killing our business. I'm talking about cinema, the business of cinema.
And especially the window, I have actually no problems with OTT or subscription as a model. I don't, but I just feel that that window can't be so short. Because then you're really, you know, eating into your theatrical business.
I'm aware that this is the model that is followed all over the world. But I was not comfortable with that model. I felt in the long run, it just doesn't serve cinema.
And so I decided that I don't want to be on a subscription platform. And this is something that evolved while we were making the film.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: That's what I wanted to know.
Aamir Khan: So when finally the film was towards completion, we were thinking of the release plan. That's when, you know, we sat together and we had this disagreement. And then finally, we agreed to part ways amicably.
But I was so certain that this is the route that I want to go. That I was willing to take the risk of an unusual film. I was willing to take the risk of not selling the subscription model or OTT.
And I was willing to pay money to not do that.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: And not have pre-sales.
Aamir Khan: And not have pre-sales and cinemas, I had no MG in cinemas.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: No deal with broadcasters, nothing.
Aamir Khan: Nothing. So I was taking a huge risk. I'm aware of that.
But I felt that it's important for me to take that risk.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: What did your friends, I know Ajay Bijli is a friend. What would some of your friends say?
Aamir Khan: Well, my friends were all scared for me, you know, that I'm taking a huge risk. But as it has turned out, the theatrical business of the film has been really good. And that gave me the independence.
Now that I was producing the film all alone. It gave me the independence to go the route I wanted. And the route that I really wanted was the one that I've been working on for 15 years.
In my head. That this is the model. You see, traditionally, all cinema goers.
Doesn't matter which part of the world they're in. And in India, cinema has been there for over 100 years. We always watch films pay-per-view.
We go to the theatre, we pay once and we watch the film once. So pay-per-view is a model. That's how we watch films.
We watch films like this. We go to the theatre once, we pay once, we watch once. If we want to watch the film again, we pay again, we watch again.
This is called a pay-per-view model. So that is a model how we watch films. So I want to take the same model onto a digital platform.
Of course, the price would be different. On a digital platform, my purpose is to reach as many people as possible. So one, the reach is important.
And YouTube gives me that reach. Internet penetration gives me that reach. And the pricing is important because I want my film to be watched by...
This was called a mass medium at one time. But I feel that over the years, the working class will find it very difficult to watch a film of their choice. To go with their family to a theatre.
It's getting more and more expensive for them to do that. So I wanted to reach the working class, the mass of India. I want them to see my films.
And I want it to reach them at their convenience. And at a price point that is good for them. That is appealing to them.
That is affordable to them. I'd like to add one thing on pricing. See, today, I'm releasing a film.
Tomorrow, I could release a long format show which has 13 episodes. That can be priced differently. Tomorrow, I might make a short film of 20 minutes.
That can be priced at 10 rupees. It could be anything. You see, there will be different economic models for different creative things that you make.
You might make 2-minute episodes because nowadays people are making shorts. So you can price it. There's a flexibility in that.
You can price it as you feel, you know.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: You are Aamir Khan Productions. You know, Dharma, Yashraj Films, they can do something like this. Can every producer think of something like this?
And I'm not saying the windows is a good idea. I think 4-week and 8-week windows are nonsense, frankly. But even in Hollywood, they don't have a fixed window.
I've spoken to global analysts. But the point is, it works for a successful film. It works for an Amit Khan Productions.
From an investor perspective, is there scalability to this? Can at least a dozen films or production houses… I think one should have intention and the other should have deep pockets.
Aamir Khan: There's only one thing I feel that people need to keep in mind. This is a model in which you have to have confidence in the material that you are making.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Okay.
Aamir Khan: When you release the film in theatres and you release it without a minimum guarantee or without pre-sales. Which is how I release my films. Then if the film doesn't work with an audience, then I stand to lose everything that I've put in.
That same rule applies to a pay-per-view model or a video on demand model. If your film, if your material doesn't work, then there is no way you can work. Because the word of mouth will spread very fast, even if it's a big film.
Even if it's a big film, if enough people have seen it, within the first one day, people will start saying, no, this is not a film that I'd like to watch. And then your business will end over there. So you need to have confidence on your material, on your film.
And you need to have the trust and faith in your audience that if you make a good film, they will come and watch it.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Will this work for Laapataa Ladies?
Aamir Khan: Oh yes.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: See, because it found its audience on Netflix. I saw it in the theatre incident, but it found its audience on Netflix.
Aamir Khan: I want to disagree over here. It found its audience on Netflix because Netflix had been advertised on day one. So, La Pata Ladies is a film that I've produced.
And the kind of unadulterated love that that film got from cinema viewers is something that I've seen for Lagaan. It's something that I've seen for Dangal. That is the kind of love it received.
But the theatrical business is barely 20 crores. Why did you do only 20 crores? If the film is so loved, how on earth can it stop at 20 crores?
That was a big learning for me. Because I realised that everyone who hears, because word of mouth is on what people, what you hear about what. So when you hear that a film is great, you want to go to the theatre and watch it.
But if you know it's going to come to your house, then you're like, okay, cool. I'll wait at home. It's not a big ticket film.
It's not visual effects. It's not cars blowing up. It's not, you know, space.
And it's not aliens. You know, it's not Jurassic Park. So this is a film that I can watch at home.
And I've already done a subscription for Netflix. I've seen the Netflix logo at the beginning of the film. It's there on all the material, the publicity.
So I know it's coming on Netflix. I already have a subscription for Netflix. Why on earth will I go to the theatre?
And if the audience thinks like that, they're very right in thinking like that. I've already purchased your film. When I took the subscription of a particular OTT, and if your film is coming on that OTT, I've already bought your film.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: So it was the…
Aamir Khan: How do I tell an audience that pay for my film twice? I don't know how to do that.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: No, but then you have sold the rights to Netflix. My point is, and therefore Netflix market…
Aamir Khan: So, no, no. So I'm trying to tell you that if the film was not coming on an OTT platform, it doesn't matter whether it's Netflix or any other one.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Whichever, yeah.
Aamir Khan: If the film was not coming on an OTT platform, and audiences realise that it's only in theatres, and nowhere else, then, which is what they were told for Sitaare Zameen Par, this is coming on theatres right now, and there's no other indication of where we're coming next. So that 20 crore number would have gone dramatically higher. Because people would know that, oh, this film is not coming on OTT, I think I need to go and watch in the theatres.
And now imagine the kind of business it could do if it's coming from theatrical, and it goes on to YouTube, on video on demand or pay-per-view.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Okay.
Aamir Khan: Now, lakhs of people are waiting to watch it.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: I'd love to know that number.
Aamir Khan: And they will be watching it on this platform. So according to me, the economics of a film like Laapataa Ladies would change dramatically. If this happens.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: But tell me, you know, you're one of the few people…
Aamir Khan: So I want to answer your question in a little more detail, because you asked me that, will smaller producers be able to do this? You see, today, if I'm a small producer, I'm a new producer, new director, new actors have come together, a bunch of us have made an independent film. We will find it very difficult to find place in theatres.
Unless we've made a film that's really connected with someone who's watched it. Unless it's an exception. Most probably, people won't just see my film because there are so many films made in India every year.
Business houses will find it difficult to watch every film. So how does that person get his film to the audience? I doubt he'll find, he or she will find place in the theatres.
And if he does, if that film does find a place in the theatres, it's very difficult to get people in for a small film, which has no known faces, no known director, no known producer. So now, that person's next stop is hopefully some platform buying it. Why would a platform buy a film which is unknown people, small film, they won't even watch the film.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: And so they have that clause, it should release in a thousand screens.
Aamir Khan: So where does that person go? Today, at least I have a platform where I can open my own channel, put my film on the channel, on a video on demand. And if my film is good, that is how content gets viral.
One person sees it. Three idiots didn't release in China in theatres or any officially. It released, it was seen in China by one person to begin with.
Who saw it on a pirated website or something.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: I thought it was a hit in Hong Kong.
Aamir Khan: Maybe that's how it started. But the point I'm trying to make is that it spread from one person. A few people saw it, said you watch it, you watch it.
I mean, you know, why would a Chinese person want to watch three idiots? It was word of mouth. And word of mouth was so strong that almost the entire country has seen three idiots.
So do not underestimate the power of word of mouth. That film wasn't even released officially at that point of time. How did it do so well?
Word of mouth. So for the Chinese audience, we are a new, no one knows who I am. That's the first scene of mine.
No one knows who Raju Hirani is. So it's a small film, it's a foreign film. It's a film not even in their language.
So imagine that, that film has become popular through piracy. And has gone viral. Based on what?
Word of mouth. And mind you, it is the fans who have dubbed the film, sorry, subtitled the film. We've not even done that.
It's gone viral on, just on the piracy platforms.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: But then everything you touched went crazy.
Aamir Khan: So no, but I'm saying, the point I'm trying to make is that YouTube now, therefore, if you're a small group of people who are making their first film, if your film has the legs, then it can break out. You have a chance at least. You have an opportunity at least.
You have some platform where you can be seen. As opposed to no platform. You've made a film now, sit at home and write off that cost.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: No, I agree.
Aamir Khan: So at least here, you have the opportunity to do that. And who knows, this business will grow in different ways. Today, Aamir Khan Productions has got its own channel, Aamir Khan Talkies.
Hopefully, this is a successful model. And if this is a successful model, then Aamir Khan Talkies becomes a place that people would like to come and watch films that they trust our movie-making abilities. As a production house, we would love to curate stuff of filmmakers who are younger, who otherwise don't get an opportunity to release anywhere.
If Aparna, who's CEO of Aamir Khan Productions, likes the film, if I like the film, then we'll be happy to put it on as curated stuff and give credit to the people who have made it. Aamir Khan Productions will not say we've produced it. We are a platform which is allowing this production house or this new director, new actors to put up their film.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: So you become the YouTube for the indie guys.
Aamir Khan: It becomes a platform for the indie guys. And of course, as a production house, how many films can I do in a year like that? Maybe a few, but there will be other production houses.
As this gets more and more popular, you'll find that production houses also will have limited abilities to make content all the time. They will also like to curate content and put it out there. Content that they believe in, content that they like.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: You know, it's so nice.
Aamir Khan: That gives an opportunity to these young people to start earning money.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: This is what influencers and the content creators, they get a rev share on all this. But discoverability is a huge problem.
Aamir Khan: Word of mouth is very important. Like I said, how were three idiots discovered in China? We didn't do any publicity.
The film wasn't even in their language. So someone saw it, liked it, translated it, took the trouble to put subtitles and it travelled all over the country and countries around that in the east. It went on its own, word of mouth.
So it is possible.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: There are so many such examples.
Aamir Khan: I think there was a film called, some scary film, which you go to the jungle and all that. What is that film? Paranormal Activities.
That was a viral hit, wasn't it? If I remember correctly. There you go.
So at least the opportunity is there. At least I have some place I can go to. All doors are not shut for me now.
There is one door open at least for me. So that's a big step. And I also feel that it empowers creative people who are already maybe a certain level of goodwill working for the last 10 years, 15 years.
They have a certain amount of goodwill. They will be freer to make the kind of content they want. Because when you're going to theatres, everyone tells you, listen, it better be a theatrical film.
It better be an action film. That's the kind of mindset that we are all living in today. So does that mean all of us just make action films?
Does that mean all of us just make, you know. So how will I make a PP life? Where will I show that?
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: But that was interesting. Delhi belly.
Aamir Khan: So I'm saying cinema will be vibrant and healthy when you have all kinds of content being made.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: But this is, you know, you're talking about expanding and that. The reason I like this particular move and also we're doing this, is expansion. You know, we are the world's largest film producing country.
Six screens per million people. 11% of India watches a film once a year. 11%.
So it is a very low, if you look at Europe or America.
Aamir Khan: Our penetration is very low.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: So there are no theatres. Theatres are in your and my city. But for example, I was looking at SVF Entertainment, Mahindra Sony's company, West Bengal.
They said our business is falling, we'll set up screens. They started setting up screens in West Bengal. They are at 50-60 screens and they ramp up to whatever.
But the takings have increased. Because outside Kolkata, only Bengali films work. My point is, I'm not seeing that kind of activity.
South, everybody says great. I don't think South films are maybe good, bad, whatever for the audience. But I think their ecosystem is different.
Hindi's ecosystem is very multiplex orientated. And the screen density was only in big cities. But where will expansion come from?
That's my point. So A, YouTube. But till the theatre doesn't expand, no streaming service will pick up the film.
I mean, this is the impression I get.
Aamir Khan: No, I'm not ready to accept this. Today, if I'm a filmmaker, I can take my content straight to pay-per-view. Why can't I take it straight to pay-per-view?
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Aamir, you have that luxury.
Aamir Khan: No, no, no, I'm saying on the contrary. I want to go to theatres, I'm very loyal to theatres.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: I want to go to theatres.
Aamir Khan: But I'm saying that I'm a newbie and I'm not getting a place in theatres. So I have the possibility, I have the freedom to go straight to pay-per-view. Like I have the freedom to go straight to OTT.
I have the freedom to go straight to pay-per-view. Why can't I do that?
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: But how do you increase theatrical? Is there a solution to that?
Aamir Khan: There is a solution to that, which I'm still working on. I believe that we have the potential of having many more screens. At least one theatre per district.
At the very least, one theatre per district. Which we still haven't achieved. So I believe that that potential is possible.
And I feel theatres which are more economical, they don't have to be as fancy. And in smaller places, the rent will also be less. The cost of land also will be less.
So I think that that is possible and that is something I'm hoping will happen. And in fact, I'm aware that there are companies like UFO, Sanjay Gaikwad. They have plans to build 10,000 screens, economical screens across the country.
In exactly this way of putting up one screen at least in each district. That's a great idea. And I think that idea will really add a lot of strength to cinema.
I really believe that.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: You know, one of the ways and Jyoti Deshpande was telling me. And this is something I've followed very closely for many years. Is also overseas.
Because diaspora is one big thing. But in mainstream, we don't have that much breakthrough. There are vineyards.
You know, one RRR will come, one Dangal will come. But that is, there is. And now I think streaming opens.
Streaming opens a window to the world. 200 countries in one go. But you have taken two films to the Oscars.
And Shah Rukh is very popular in US and Europe. And you are sort of, you know, you've created this entirely in a quota-led market like China. But how do, is there something there?
I always think that streaming has offered us our, what I call the KBC moment. That we leap from this, and with local stories. I'm not talking about crossover films.
I don't know if this question has been asked to you before. But because you've taken two films to the Oscars, I felt that, you know, what was the process like? And do you think there is?
Aamir Khan: Actually, I had never planned to take those films to the Oscars.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: It happened.
Aamir Khan: That was not why those films were made. Those films were made for an Indian audience. Lagaan was made for an Indian audience.
Taare Zameen Par Select from India, that was made for an Indian audience. Laapataa Ladies, all of these films. Out of these, only Lagaan got finally nominated.
But I think five or six films of mine have been sent from India, if I'm not mistaken. If I remember correctly.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Okay.
Aamir Khan: But I don't make films for awards and for, you know, that's not why I'm making the films. For me, the biggest award is my audience liking my film. And it is a, it's a random chance that, you know, out of the, I don't know, 2000 films that we produce every year, one film gets selected to be, to go to the Academy Awards to represent India.
It may be my film, it may not be my film. I'm not even thinking of that. But when my film does get selected, then it is my responsibility to make sure I do what I can to do the best I can with the film.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: No, but if I remove, okay, if I remove the Oscar thing, but is there a scope for our cinema?
Aamir Khan: Travelling across the world?
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Domestic crossover to ho rahe hain, hum Malayalam film mein dekh rahe hain. Hum apna cinema discover kar rahe hain.
Aamir Khan: According to me, with this model, the chances increase dramatically.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Sitaare Zameen Par, for example.
Aamir Khan: Yes, well, we're going to, that's the experiment we're doing with this one. But I'm saying that the potential for that goes up dramatically, because for me to break into, let's say, a US, North America market. Again, for me, I'm now, for North America, I'm a small producer.
I'm an unknown actor for that crossover audience. So then we have to work really hard for theatre space. You have to spend a lot of money to try and get people into the theatre.
I don't even know whether I'll recover that cost that I'm putting in. So, on a pay-per-view model, on this model where you can be on YouTube, YouTube is there in so many countries. Suddenly your film is available at the very least.
And as I said earlier, once the film is seen by a certain number of people who fall in love with it, then that word of mouth starts kicking in. And sooner or later, that's going to happen for Indian cinema as well. It's happened for Korean cinema and Korean shows.
So it is going to happen. With audiences from across the globe being able to watch films from different parts of the world. How has that been possible?
That's been possible only because of digital platforms. You know, whether it's a pay-per-view model or it's a subscription model. It has been possible only because of that.
Otherwise, you'll have to take these films to theatres all over the world.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: That's a very expensive thing. Very cumbersome, very expensive.
Aamir Khan: And after I made a film as a producer, I've just finished releasing it in India. Now I have to spend the next two years taking it all over the world. I want to start my next film here.
You know what I'm trying to say?
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: One of the things, there are a lot of flaws with our movie ecosystem. In making money, in monetising. But one of the things I find missing is unity.
You know, we don't speak as one industry. Whether it is on windows, whether it is on screens. I mean, for example, on screens, if you get regulatory infrastructure status, in Maharashtra, multiplexes took off because they got a tax holiday.
Aamir Khan: Many years back.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: 2001. So, some of those things where regulatory intervention or where one voice is required. You know, whether it is share of revenues.
Why can't the industry speak in one voice? To your mind, how could you?
Aamir Khan: Okay, I'll ask you a question. You live in Pune? Yeah.
Do you live in a cooperative society? Yeah, I live in a cooperative society. You'll have regular meetings for the cooperative society?
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: We don't have cooperative society. It's an apartment association.
Aamir Khan: So, let's just imagine a cooperative housing society, where there is a building or two buildings. And all the members in all the flats, they form the cooperative society. Have you attended the cooperative society meetings?
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: I have. In Delhi especially.
Aamir Khan: Are people on the same page?
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Not always.
Aamir Khan: How many times are they on the same page?
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: I'm going to flip it around.
Aamir Khan: I'm telling you that if we agree on one point, we are a housing society, which is called a cooperative housing society. We are so non-cooperative in that. If I'm saying something wrong, you tell me.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: No, you're right.
Aamir Khan: Then why are you blaming the film industry?
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: I'm not blaming.
Aamir Khan: Blame is a strong word. But I'm saying this question that you're asking. How come the film industry can't come together?
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: IT industry is like NASSCOM. You lobby for their issues, you fight for their issues. Why don't they have something like this?
Aamir Khan: I think that will start now. I think that earlier this year, we had Waves.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Yeah, I know.
Aamir Khan: And I think Waves as a concept is a very big concept. And it has a lot of potential. For the first time in my memory that I've been in the films, this is the first time any government has shown interest in the media and entertainment sector.
And this includes gaming, this includes films, this includes music and everything. But this is the first time that any government has thought about us and tried to create a platform, which is a world platform. And Dreams of India being the centre of that.
This is the first government which has thought of that. I think that's a great opportunity to work with government so that we can come up with decisions, policy decisions, which can help the industry. I think that is a great opportunity and I'm looking at that.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: So when the cooperative society meets, they will meet the government, hopefully.
Aamir Khan: Why not? I think that government will, whenever you have an idea, which will benefit society, will benefit economics of society, why will the government not support you? Of course they will.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: No, no, no. I'm not saying the government will not. I'm saying everybody should get together to do that.
That was my point, but that's my point taken. I agree. Local politics is difficult.
Aamir Khan: Always. So I think your observation is right that the Hindi film industry historically has not been able to come together as one.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: The Indian, all the portions.
Aamir Khan: You know, it's quite crazy. I run a foundation called Paani Foundation. And we've been working for many years in rural Maharashtra, first with watershed management, then with different aspects of agriculture.
And then now we are focussing on gut sheti for small and marginal farmers. One of the first things that we teach in our training is that the village or the gut has to operate as one. And if you're unable to operate as one, then it's going to be very difficult for you.
So what is good for the village is good for me. But the moment I feel that, no, this one thing is good for me, I don't care what happens to the village. We're going to have trouble.
You have to have the ability to see what is good for all of us. If this thing is only good for me and not good for the rest of us, it's probably not good for me either. When that reality and understanding permeates into my being, then I will start taking decisions, which are for the good of everyone.
So maybe we'll get there.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: We'll get there. We rock. I really think we rock in the industry.
So thank you so much for being on The Media Room and for being so patient at so late an hour.
Aamir Khan: Not at all.
Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: Thank you.
