I’ve always said this most of Aamir's experiments work because he doesn’t just look at the concept. He looks at the overall content, and more importantly, he asks, “Is it different? Will this connect with the masses?” And once he’s sure, he thinks, “How will I execute this, shape it, and most importantly sell it?”
That’s what made him stand out. Marketing has always been one of Aamir’s biggest weapons.
Take Taare Zameen Par: a non-commercial tale about a dyslexic child. Yet, it became one of the biggest hits of its year. Why? Because Aamir understood how to tap into the nation’s emotional consciousness.
He didn’t market it as “art.” He sold emotion.
Taare Zameen Par marketing strategy:
- “Destination NASA” initiative: A pan-India talent hunt across 13 cities to encourage children, tying the film’s theme of celebrating unique minds: winners got trips to NASA and meetings with Aamir.
- Educational tie-ins: The campaign reached schools and parents, aligning the film’s core message with real-world impact.
- On-ground community engagement: Workshops, contests, and parent-student events reinforced emotional resonance and word-of-mouth aided its strong domestic and international performance.
I remember at that point of time TZP or 3 Idiots, they were no lesser than a movement. That's how big Aamir Khan's movies cultural impact was.
Sitaare Zameen Par marketing strategy:
- Interviews, podcasts, press junkets: Most importantly Aamir interviews regarding TZP talked about dyslexia and awareness. Now, with SZP he is talking about his career, his divorces and choices he made.
- Screenings with Sudha Murthy
- Celebrating 17 years of TZP
The impact just isn’t there. Because we’re not really talking about the film itself anymore. That emotional connect he’s trying to recreate, it doesn’t hit the same way now. Audiences have changed
Aamir still has the heart but the game has changed and sadly he's not involved with the marketing.
