As the countdown continues to the release of Aamir Khan’s much-awaited Sitaare Zameen Par on June 20, 2025, speculation is ramping up across the industry about what Khan will do next in terms of distribution in post-theatre.
Earlier this month, reports suggested Khan is considering an unconventional approach: abandoning the traditional OTT players for pay-per-view on YouTube.
But that unconventional approach has started a different conversation — and Movie Saints founder Kanada Rishiraj is entering the fray.
Why Movie Saints May Be A Better Option Than YouTube
Rishiraj, whose indie platform Movie Saints has developed a small but loyal audience in the four years since it was launched in 2019, is putting his hat in the ring for Sitaare Zameen Par. He thinks Sitaare Zameen Par deserves a more stable and cinematic home than YouTube.
“If you think back, when is the last time you watched a whole feature film on YouTube? YouTube is not the right site to host Sitaare Zameen Par. YouTube is for 10–15 minute videos. And even worse, content can be easily pirated there.”
Instead, Rishiraj is proposing his own platform as a piracy-proof pay-per-view option.
Through encryption, DRM, digital watermarking, and device-level authentication, Movie Saints makes absolutely certain that all viewers receive a unique, traceable copy of the same film.
“If the movie leaks, we know where it leaked from in seconds,” he explains. “We even collect user data, so there is always a legal option.”
A Timely Pitch for a Timely Film
While there has not yet been official word from Aamir Khan on which platform he will choose, Rishiraj has pitched directly to Khan. He admits that he hadn’t reached out before, but things are changing.
“The subscription model worked for stars in the past, but the economics are changing.
If someone like Aamir is doing an experiment, I want him to know all options,” Rishiraj explains.
Sitaare Zameen Par, directed by R.S. Prasanna, is said to be following themes similar to the deeply emotional Taare Zameen Par, but through a collective of special education children governed by actual artists living with disabilities.
A film based on inclusion and empowerment is already amounting to a cultural moment — one that could also further enhance how premium films are distributed in the digital world.
From Indie Roots to a Mainstream Future?
The Rise of Movie Saints
Movie Saints is not a newcomer, although it is a silent disruptor. The platform debuted in 2019 with the Assamese treasure Aamis and since then has gathered traction with Indian and international film enthusiasts.
In 2024, it made the news again for hosting Jhini Bini Chadariya, solidifying its position as a champion of indie films and pay-per-view fairness.
With a straightforward revenue-sharing plan and security options that OTTs don’t usually offer, Movie Saints now wants to scale — but not scale out or quit being a copy of a legacy platform.
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Box Office Worldwide Verdict
As Sitaare Zameen Par prepares for its theatrical release, the attention now hooks onto its digital afterlife.
Given Kanada Rishiraj comes forward with a piracy-proof plan and artist-first agenda, choosing him would also influence the monetisation of Indian cinema outside of the OTT giants.
If Khan chooses Movie Saints instead of YouTube, it could be the biggest blowout ever for India’s indie digital revolution.
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