Sitaare Zameen Par review: This heartwarming Aamir Khan film stumbles, then soars to score a basket in the 2nd half

Hindustan Times

20-06-2025

The past weeks have been marked by quite a lot of negativity around Aamir Khan. But the man has been unfazed, on a promotional spree for his latest film- which shows the confidence he had in his product. And I cross my heart when I write this: I sat down with high hopes from Sitaare Zameen Par, a spiritual sequel to the 2007 hit Taare Zameen Par. It's an official adaptation of the 2018 Italian film Campeones.
There's something about his films- yes, even Laal Singh Chaddha… they decidedly look at the bright side of things. I was doing that, too, in this case. And to sum it up right at the outset: Aamir delivers.
Sitaare Zameen Par, directed by RS Prasanna, is a story without a villain. An egoistic basketball assistant coach, Gulshan Arora, is suspended after he hits his senior in a fit of rage. Then, he rams into a police van while drunk, only to be sentenced to community service- teaching basketball for three months to a team of specially-abled adults. Shocked and constantly complaining, Gulshan reluctantly takes up the job, unprepared that it's he who's going to get coached instead.
You might think this group of special individuals would see their circumstances as the villain in their lives- but the way writer Divy Nidhi Sharma spins it is a winner. At no point do the makers try to play the sympathy card. These are adults, like you and me. Their definition of 'normal' is all that's different. One of them smokes too- and while it's a vice, the fact that she does it drives home the point… they don't want us to look at them with a pitiful gaze.
The first half is slow and tests your patience. Aamir being angry with his new role, getting to know his special team, then struggling in his marriage with Sunita (Genelia Deshmukh)- there's a lot that eats up screen time and feels like lazy writing. There's the occasional laugh- pretty much what one saw in the trailer.
The intermission point too isn't on a high. You settle into your seats after this, ready for a yawn-fest. But this is exactly when Sitaare Zameen Par miraculously finds its groove. Things begin to make sense- the laughter is back, with some sequences bringing the house down. Watch out for the one with Brijendra Kala as the highlight! The second half of Sitaare Zameen Par is my pick.
Aamir is good at comedy, and here too he's back to that genre. He's at ease with his co stars here, and the comfort translates. The first half is bearable only because of Aamir, and then he takes things a notch higher in the second one. Genelia complements him wonderfully as the supportive wife, and the cause of friction between them is thankfully not stretched beyond a point. Dolly Ahluwalia and Brijendra Kala are adorable in their roles and justify their short screen time with solid performances.
And now, the Sitaare- Ashish Pendse as Sunil wins your heart with his moving performance in a key scene. Aroush Datta, Aayush Bhansali, Rishi Shahani, Gopikrishnan K Verma, Rishabh Jain, Vedant Sharma, Simran Mangeshka, Samvit Desai, Naman Misra- the makers have managed to extract a film-worthy performance from all.
The music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is peppy and goes with the film. Don't expect as memorable a soundtrack as Taare Zameen Par, and you won't be disappointed.
Overall, Sitaare Zameen Par is a heartfelt product, meant to be experienced in a packed theatre. The collective laughter, the silent sniffles, and more, enhance the film's impact.
It may not shine as brightly as its predecessor, but these Sitaare light up the screen in their own beautiful way.