Aamir Khan Discusses Box Office Impact of Laapataa Ladies' Early OTT Release

Aamir Khan's Insights on Laapataa Ladies' Box Office Performance

Aamir Khan recently expressed his views regarding the box office results of his 2024 film, Laapataa Ladies. He suggested that the film's quick transition to OTT might have hindered its success in theaters. In a discussion with a media outlet, Aamir emphasized that box office figures serve as a clear and objective measure of a film's reception among viewers.

“In the end, the box office provides a definitive benchmark. Reviews can vary—some may enjoy a film while others do not. However, box office numbers are impartial. They indicate the earnings of a film and serve as a reliable gauge. Unless there’s a particular reason for a film's underperformance, the box office results reflect its popularity,” he stated.

Laapataa Ladies hit theaters on March 1, 2024, but began streaming on Netflix just eight weeks later, on April 26. Aamir believes this rapid shift to OTT limited the film's box office potential, saying, “I think Laapataa Ladies would have performed exceptionally well in cinemas if it hadn’t been released on Netflix so soon. The audience response was very positive. In my opinion, had it not premiered on Netflix so quickly, it would have achieved significant success.”

Laapataa Ladies, directed by Kiran Rao and produced by Aamir Khan Productions in collaboration with Kindling Pictures and Jio Studios, is a satirical comedy-drama that explores gender issues and patriarchy in rural India. The plot revolves around two brides who are mistakenly swapped during a train journey, leading to a humorous yet insightful examination of societal norms. The film features actors Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, and Ravi Kishan, grossing ₹24.31 crore in India and ₹27.06 crore globally over its 13-week run.

On another note, Aamir Khan is preparing for his upcoming film Sitaare Zameen Par, co-starring Genelia Deshmukh, which is set to release on June 20. This film serves as a spiritual sequel to his highly praised Taare Zameen Par and is a remake of the Spanish film Champions (2018).