Lights, Camera, Scoop: Dharma and Aamir Khan's U-Turn on 'Dhadak 2' and 'Sitaare Zameen Par'; Reckless Bollywood PR For Reviews

Dial M for Manipulation

It's not surprising for anyone to know that India's world of entertainment journalism has been navigating choppy waters, but it's still jarring to see those working in the industry assuming that the standards can sink lower each day. And when a film — especially one starring newcomers — emerges to be a blockbuster, the descent into absurdity seems to accelerate on Fridays. This week, the desperation reached new heights.

A reputable journalist published their review of a big Hindi film release of the week, only to be surprised by a WhatsApp query from a publicist (not the official film PR team) asking them to add a pre-written paragraph to the review. The journalist scrolled down to find out that the publicist had sent them a paragraph that lavished praise on the "talent's performance," complete with fire and star emojis to drive home the point. Naturally, the publicist was given an earful.

This wasn't, however, an isolated incident; at least two other reviewers reported receiving "unusual" requests from agents, inquiring if they'd charge a certain amount for their reviews this week. The blatant attempt to manipulate criticism is both alarming and disheartening, and it seems to have gained momentum after the release of Saiyaara.

U-Turns

The industry witnessed a week of unexpected U-turns, with one flying under the radar and the other sparking intense debate. Karan Johar's Dharma Productions reversed its decision to scrap press screenings, a move announced just months ago. Last October, ahead of Alia Bhatt's Jigra release, Johar had declared that Dharma would forgo pre-release screenings, citing the importance of audiences experiencing their films as intended.

However, this "difficult decision" was short-lived, as the production house hosted a pre-release press screening for their latest film, Dhadak 2. During the trailer launch of the Siddhant Chaturvedi-Triptii Dimri film last month, Johar had said that his issue was with reviewers breaking the embargo, which upset him on a personal level, and as a filmmaker and studio head. He clarified that his issue wasn't with criticism itself, but rather with protecting his films until release.

Industry insiders suggest that the decision to resume press screenings might also be influenced by the performance of Kesari Chapter 2, the first Dharma film of the year. Despite receiving unanimous praise, the film reportedly suffered from a lack of early word-of-mouth due to the absence of wide-scale press reviews. "Maybe even Kesari 2 would have benefited from press screenings," an insider noted, hinting that Dharma might have learned from the experience.

The performer of a more divisive U-turn was Aamir Khan, who officially announced his pay-per-view movie channel on YouTube, kicking off with the digital premiere of his comedy drama Sitaare Zameen Par. The film is available at an affordable price point of ₹100, after its theatrical run was exhausted.

But there was a catch. The entire pre-release publicity of Sitaare Zameen Par was mounted on Khan being the crusader of cinemas, from appearing on podcasts to speaking at the official WAVES 2025 Summit, emphasising the need to save theatres and the "faulty" business model of having films release on an OTT platform after the eight-week window. His solution? Sitaare Zameen Par would only release in cinemas. The actor had vehemently denied that his film would be available on YouTube.

This decision was welcomed by the Multiplex Association of India (MAI) , who lauded the superstar for his vision and his unwavering resolve to cinemas by bringing Sitaare Zameen Par "exclusively to cinemas," which they said in a statement would go down in the history as a "shining example of cinema's resilience and its irreplaceable magic."

Except Khan's film is now on YouTube, after 41 days.

"We are disappointed with this decision. By bringing the film on YouTube less than eight weeks after release, he is going back on what he had promised. No one will trust him next time," Rajasthan-based exhibitor Raj Bansal told Mid-Day.

On the other hand, some industry insiders see Khan's move as revolutionary, giving creators more liberty and power and taking control away from streamers, but question the narrative of saving cinemas. "His idea for a pay-per-view is applause-worthy; it is a huge risk in a country like ours, but if you are saying that a family can watch your film for ₹100 after 40 days, how does it benefit the theatres?" one exhibitor wondered.

Khan himself admitted to "lying" about the YouTube release at a press event this week, citing the need to protect the theatrical business. "I had to lie to ensure the theatrical ecosystem remained intact. I've always been loyal to theatres, and I wanted to experiment with a new model without harming them."