Laal Singh Chaddha star Aamir Khan opens up on films failing at box office, says 'we've been making a simple error...'

Laal Singh Chaddha star Aamir Khan has reacted to the ongoing conversation and discussion around why films, especially Hindi films, are failing to draw the audience to the theatres and why the box office collections are dropping.

During a recent conversation with Galatta Plus, Aamir Khan, while speaking about films failing to perform at the box office and the falling collections at the tickets window, said, "According to me, we've been making a simple error. There's nothing wrong with OTT. As a platform it's very nice and it will complement cinema. OTT is not a challenge to cinema, we are making it a challenge to cinema. What we are doing is, we are saying our films will release in theatres but you don't really need to come because in a few weeks you can see it at home. How do you expect people to come to the theatres when you've already told me wait for a few weeks I'm coming to your house, you don't have to come to the theatre? The is the error that according to me the film industry is doing."

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Aamir Khan added, "Our film, of course, come on OTT and the audience should watch the film on OTT also but we must give the audience a clear choice 'If I want to watch a film in cinema then do that, if I don't want to watch it, no problem...then I have to wait for six months for it to come to OTT'. Then at least the audience has a choice saying 'oh I don't want to wait six month...I'd rather watch it in the theatres. I've heard good things (about the film)'. Then what happens is when I (audience) come to know it's a good or a great film and I'm told please watch it my answer today would be 'it's ok, I'll just wait for 2-3 weeks and watch it at home'. That should not be the case."

He further said,  "When a film is being appreciated and loved and it is in cinemas and you tell your friends it's a great film, he/she must feel 'if I don't watch it, I'll miss it'. So, i think that is one big factor why collections in theatres are dropping not just in Hindi but every language."

Must Watch! #AamirKhan on what the Film Industry needs to learn and understand in today's enviornment for better box office results and surivaval of cinema halls. #LaalSinghChaddha

Video Credit: Galatta Plus. pic.twitter.com/b95HRmuguM

— Himesh (@HimeshMankad) August 8, 2022

"The quicker you go into OTT, it doesn't make sense to me because you need to have a clear demarcation between the platforms. If that is not there, then common sense tell you that for economic reasons, for bandwidth and time reasons, because when you go to a theatre you need time, you need certain amount of money, all of this is required to come to cinema...then you cannot have it (film) come to OTT so fast. If it's coming so fast, then cinema doesn't stand a chance. So, it's in our hands. As filmmakers, we have to decided," Aamir Khan said.  

Recently, most films that released in theatres including blockbuster hits like Gangubai Kathiawadi, RRR, KGF Chapter 2, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, Rocketry The Nambi Effect, among others, all were released on OTT within weeks of their release in the theatres.

However, for his own film Laal Singh Chaddha, Aamir Khan earlier clarified that the movie will only stream on OTT after six months of its theatrical release. He had said while talking about Laal Singh Chaddha's OTT release, "I have always tried to keep a 6 month gap for my films. I don't know what the industry follows, but I like to keep a 6 month gap. So, that's what I tried to do for all my films and up till now, we have managed that."

'Laal Singh Chaddha', produced by Aamir Khan Productions, Kiran Rao, and Viacom18 Studios, also stars Kareena Kapoor Khan, Mona Singh, and Chaitanya Akkineni. It is an official remake of Forrest Gump. The film will be released on August 11.