With an unwavering confidence in his latest project, Aamir Khan has been on an active promotional run—clearly standing by his film, Sitaare Zameen Par.
There is a certain quality to his films—even Laal Singh Chaddha—that leans toward optimism.
Sitaare Zameen Par, directed by RS Prasanna, is a film without a traditional villain. It follows Gulshan Arora, a proud and hot-headed basketball assistant coach who gets suspended for hitting his senior in anger. Things get worse when he crashes into a police van while drunk, and as punishment, he is ordered to do community service—coaching basketball for three months to a group of specially-abled adults. At first, Gulshan is shocked and unhappy about it, but he reluctantly agrees, not knowing that he is the one who will end up learning the most.
Viewers might assume that this group of specially-abled individuals sees their challenges as the biggest obstacle in life—but writer Divy Nidhi Sharma presents it differently, and that is what makes it work and the film does not ask for sympathy. The only difference is how they define ‘normal.’ One of them even smokes—yes, it is a bad habit, but it helps make the point clear: they do not want pity, just to be seen as regular people.
The first half moves slowly. Aamir’s frustration with his new role, his efforts to connect with the special team, and his troubled marriage with Sunita (played by Genelia Deshmukh) take up a lot of screen time and come across as weakly written.
But just when you least expect it, Sitaare Zameen Par finds its rhythm. Suddenly, everything starts to click—the humor returns, and some scenes are genuinely hilarious.
Aamir shares a great comfort level with his co-stars, and it shows on screen. In fact, it is Aamir who keeps the first half watchable, and in the second half, he raises the bar even more. Genelia plays his supportive wife really well. Dolly Ahluwalia and Brijendra Kala are charming in their small roles and make the most of their limited screen time with strong performances.
And then come the real Sitaare—Ashish Pendse as Sunil is especially touching in an emotional scene. Aroush Datta, Aayush Bhansali, Rishi Shahani, Gopikrishnan K Verma, Rishabh Jain, Vedant Sharma, Simran Mangeshka, Samvit Desai, and Naman Misra—each of them delivers a performance worthy of the big screen.
The music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is fun and fits well with the film’s mood. Overall, Sitaare Zameen Par is a touching film. The laughter, the emotional moments, and the audience’s reactions make it more impactful. It might not shine as brightly as the original, but these Sitaare bring their own unique warmth and light to the screen.
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