With an illustrious career of more than 37 years, which is close to completing four decades, Superstar Aamir Khan, who made his acting debut in a lead role with Mansoor Khan's iconic romantic musical Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, has always been known for introducing new concepts and offering refreshing experiences to the audience.
Superstar Aamir Khan has won 4 National Film Awards to date in his career. His first recognition came in 1988, when he received a Special Mention for Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. In 2001, his film Lagaan won the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
He was again honoured in 2003 with the award for Best Exploration/Adventure Film for Madness in the Desert, a documentary chronicling the making of Lagaan. In 2007, his directorial debut Taare Zameen Par earned the National Award for Best Film on Family Welfare.
In 2008, he delivered a remarkable performance in Ghajini, which became the first Bollywood film to cross the ₹100 crore mark at the domestic box office, emerging as the highest-grossing Indian film of all time until it was overtaken by 3 Idiots, and also established the ₹100 crore Club in Indian cinema.
3 Idiots went on to collect a total of ₹202 crore in just five weeks, becoming the first Indian film ever to achieve such a massive figure. With this, it not only shattered previous box office records but also established the much-talked-about ₹200 crore Club in Indian cinema.
He holds the distinction of having seven films that topped the list of Highest-Grossing Indian Films of the Year, namely Dil (1990), Raja Hindustani (1996), Ghajini (2008), 3 Idiots (2009), Dhoom 3 (2013), PK (2014), and Dangal (2016).
Dhoom 3 became the first Indian film to cross ₹500 crore worldwide and also made history by becoming the first film to gross Rs 60 million at the box office in Nepal. PK became the first Bollywood film to earn ₹1 billion net from online bookings. It also created history by becoming the first Indian film to gross more than ₹700 crores and cross the US$100 million mark worldwide.
Dangal became the first Indian film to gross $300 million worldwide, taking its overall collections past ₹1,000 crore and becoming the first Indian film to achieve this remarkable milestone. His latest film Sitaare Zameen Par was well received by audiences; however, to be honest, I felt it is a decent one-time watch and does not quite live up to the high expectations we generally associate with Aamir Khan.
That said, the step he took by choosing not to release the film on OTT platforms and keeping it exclusively for theatres deserves appreciation. He also expressed plans to release the film on a pay-per-view model on YouTube two months after its theatrical run. PPV, or Pay-per-view, lets you pay only for the events/shows/films/series you want to watch, whether it’s through private telecast or an online platform.
In today’s industry landscape, where most producers prioritize securing their investment by rushing to streaming platforms, Aamir Khan’s decision stands out. While OTT platforms offer tempting deals post-theatrical release, many fail to recognize the long-term damage this practice is causing. By making theatres feel secondary, they’re contributing to the slow decline of the cinema-going culture — something that could ultimately hurt the very producers and investors they are trying to protect.
Maybe Aamir Khan's decision to release the film on YouTube could encourage others in the industry to rethink their approach and find ways to keep theatres alive in long term. Of course, much depends on how the film performs on YouTube — if it receives a positive response there, it could certainly prove to be a big turning point for the industry.
Q: When did Aamir Khan make his acting debut as a lead
actor?
A: Aamir Khan made his acting debut in a lead role with
Mansoor Khan's iconic romantic musical Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.
Q: How long has Aamir Khan been active in the film industry?
A: Aamir Khan has had an illustrious career spanning more
than 37 years, which is close to completing four decades.
Q: How many National Film Awards has Aamir Khan won to date?
A: Aamir Khan has won 4 National Film Awards in his career
so far.
Q: Which was Aamir Khan’s first National Film Award?
A: His first National Film Award was a Special Mention for Qayamat
Se Qayamat Tak in 1988.
Q: For which films did Aamir Khan receive National Film
Awards after that?
A: In 2001, Lagaan won the National Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
In 2003, Madness in
the Desert, a documentary on the making of Lagaan, won the award for Best
Exploration/Adventure Film.
In 2007, his
directorial debut Taare Zameen Par won the National Award for Best Film on
Family Welfare.
Q: Which Aamir Khan film became the first Bollywood film to
enter the ₹100 crore club?
A: Ghajini (2008) became the first Bollywood film to cross
₹100 crore at the domestic box office, establishing the ₹100 crore Club in
Indian cinema.
Q: How did 3 Idiots impact Indian box office records?
A: 3 Idiots collected ₹202 crore in just five weeks,
becoming the first Indian film to achieve such massive figures and establishing
the ₹200 crore Club in Indian cinema.
Q: How many times has Aamir Khan topped the list of
Highest-Grossing Indian Films of the Year?
A: Aamir Khan has topped the list seven times with the following films:
Dil (1990)
Raja Hindustani
(1996)
Ghajini (2008)
3 Idiots (2009)
Dhoom 3 (2013)
PK (2014)
Dangal (2016)
Q: Which Aamir Khan film was the first Indian film to cross
₹500 crore worldwide?
A: Dhoom 3 (2013) became the first Indian film to cross ₹500
crore worldwide.
Q: What notable records did PK create?
A: PK became the first Bollywood film to earn ₹1 billion net
from online bookings. It also became the first Indian film to gross more than
₹700 crore and cross the US\$100 million mark worldwide.
Q: What historic milestone did Dangal achieve?
A: Dangal became the first Indian film to gross \$300
million worldwide, with total collections surpassing ₹1,000 crore, making it
the first Indian film to achieve this remarkable milestone.
Q: How was Aamir Khan’s latest film Sitaare Zameen Par
received?
A: Sitaare Zameen Par was well received by audiences;
however, personally, I felt it is a decent one-time watch and doesn’t quite
live up to the high expectations usually associated with Aamir Khan.
Q: What unique release strategy did Aamir Khan adopt for Sitaare
Zameen Par?
A: Aamir Khan chose not to release the film on OTT platforms
and kept it exclusively for theatres. He also expressed plans to release the
film on YouTube under the pay-per-view (PPV) model two months after its
theatrical run.
Q: What is the Pay-per-view (PPV) model?
A: PPV allows viewers to pay only for specific events,
shows, films, or series they want to watch, whether through private telecast or
online platforms.
Q: Why is Aamir Khan’s decision regarding Sitaare Zameen Par
significant for the industry?
A: In an era where most producers rush to OTT platforms to
secure investments, Aamir Khan’s decision stands out as an effort to protect
cinema-going culture. This approach discourages making theatres feel secondary,
which could otherwise harm the industry in the long run.
Q: How could this decision potentially impact the industry?
A: If Sitaare Zameen Par performs well on YouTube through
the PPV model, it could encourage other filmmakers to rethink their approach,
find alternatives to OTT deals, and help sustain the theatre experience in the
long term.
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