Industry Buzz Around Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par
The highly anticipated film Sitaare Zameen Par, featuring Aamir Khan, had a decent start, but its performance took a leap on Saturday, bringing joy to many in the film industry. Yet, not all are celebrating. Some cinema owners are unhappy due to sudden changes in the film’s release strategy.
Initially, the plan was to roll out the film on a limited basis, but after various exhibitors showed interest, the screen count was expected to rise to about 3,000. Unfortunately, just a day before the launch, several cinemas were informed that they would no longer receive the film. Reports indicate that around 700 to 800 theaters across the country missed out on screening Sitaare Zameen Par because of this last-minute change.
One exhibitor from West Bengal expressed disappointment, saying, “As a big fan of Aamir Khan, I was eager to showcase the film. We prepared everything, but at the last moment, we were told the film wouldn’t come to us. It felt terrible to be let down like that." Out of 150 cinemas in Bengal planning to screen the movie, about 80 couldn’t due to the distributors’ decision.
Adding to the frustration, many single-screen theater owners felt overlooked, especially after the Multiplex Association of India praised the film’s exclusive cinema release. One cinema owner remarked, “We respect Aamir Khan for choosing theaters over OTT platforms. But we wish he would consider our concerns as well.”
Akshaye Rathi, a film exhibitor and distributor, explained, “Film programming relies on demand and supply, and as things change, distribution plans can also shift. Sitaare Zameen Par had its release strategy evolve from limited to wider and then potentially back to fewer screens.”
While discussing the sudden reverse in commitments, Rathi stated, “It’s rare for such changes to occur at the last minute. Once you agree to something, it’s crucial to honor that agreement.”
Raj Mandir Cinema Surprise
Another surprising aspect was the absence of Sitaare Zameen Par at the famous Raj Mandir Cinema in Jaipur. According to local sources, the theater was keen on screening the film but could only run it in four shows, which conflicted with the distributor’s insistence on full allocation. This led the theater to reluctantly choose other films instead.
The distributors had requested that single screens offer all their shows to Sitaare Zameen Par, but reports reveal that this policy wasn’t consistently enforced across the country. For instance, in Mumbai’s Plaza cinema, they managed to share showtimes effectively between two films.
A Pattern of Concerns
This isn’t the first time PVR Inox’s distribution strategies have faced scrutiny. Previous releases, like Singham Again, saw theaters expressing concerns over a prioritization of their own properties during advance bookings. In another instance, Baby John was exclusively shown in a few single-screen cinemas, leading to significant backlash.
Despite the turmoil, many in the industry hold out hope that the film will continue to perform well and that distribution practices will improve for the benefit of all exhibitors.
