Mumbai, May 2 — Veteran actor Aamir Khan has emphasized the urgent need to expand cinema infrastructure in India, stating that only a small fraction of the country’s population has access to movie theatres. Speaking on the second day of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), Khan addressed a session titled "Studios of the Future: Putting India on the World Studio Map", where he discussed the pressing challenges facing India’s entertainment industry.
As per agency report, Khan highlighted that India, despite being a nation passionate about films, has significantly fewer cinema screens compared to countries like the United States and China. He pointed out that India has only about 10,000 screens, while the US, with just one-third of India’s population, has around 40,000, and China leads with approximately 90,000 screens. Of the 10,000 screens in India, nearly half are concentrated in the southern states, limiting the distribution of Hindi films to roughly 5,000 screens.
Khan explained that this limited access greatly restricts viewership, even for blockbuster hits. He noted that only about two percent of the population ends up watching India’s biggest box office successes in cinemas, leaving a vast majority without access. Many districts across the country, including regions like Konkan, reportedly lack even a single functioning cinema.
He expressed concern that people in such areas might hear about films and view trailers online, but have no means to actually watch them on the big screen. According to him, increasing the number of theatres is the first critical step towards unlocking India’s full potential in the entertainment sector.
Khan also touched upon the shrinking window between a film’s theatrical release and its availability on OTT platforms. He argued that this short gap discourages cinema attendance, as viewers might prefer to wait a few weeks rather than visit a theatre. He recalled earlier times when films premiered on satellite television a year after theatrical release, allowing a longer theatrical run and preserving box office revenues.
The actor lauded the government for organizing an event like WAVES, which brings attention to vital issues affecting the film industry. His remarks echoed sentiments shared earlier by actor Shah Rukh Khan, who also advocated for an increase in the number of cinema screens during the inaugural session.
The session also featured other industry figures including producers Ritesh Sidhwani and Dinesh Vijan, Namita Malhotra, PVR-INOX Chairman Ajay Bijli, and American producer Charles Roven. The discussion centered on how India can strengthen its position in the global entertainment landscape by investing in robust cinema infrastructure and creating opportunities for wider audience engagement.
