Aamir Khan: India Must Build More Theatres to Boost Cinema Culture

Aamir Khan has emphasized the need for India to invest in more cinema halls at the earliest so that it can unlock the full potential of its film industry.

 During the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, the superstar highlighted the point that while India is a cinema-going country, the majority of the nation is not privy to the big screen. He pointed out that India has about 10,000 screens, far fewer than the United States with 40,000 and China with 90,000, despite India's much larger population.

Khan stated that half of India's screens are in the southern states, leaving vast tracts, including many districts, without a single theatre. This deficit limits the viewership of Hindi and indigenous films, with only about 2% of the population being able to watch blockbuster productions on cinema.

 He lamented that people catch wind of films and hear an online buzz but are not able to watch them on the big screen, calling it "very unfortunate situation."

He emphasized the importance of increasing the number and variety of theaters throughout India towards the development of the industry itself as well as providing audiences everywhere in the nation with the ability to enjoy the movies. He was supported by Shah Rukh Khan's view, too, who favored simpler and affordable theaters in the tier-two and tier-three cities and towns as a means to make more individuals accessible to the movies.

Aamir's appeal for infrastructure investment aims to close the gap in cinema outreach, the primary challenge holding back Indian cinema from fulfilling its full domestic and global potential. The actor's statement at WAVES 2025 highlights the appeal for a considered push to take India's cinematic influence beyond metropolitan hubs.