Movie Review: ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’
Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan makes a much-anticipated return to the big screen with ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’, a sports comedy drama, that blends sports, social sensitivity, and personal redemption into a heart-warming narrative.
Directed by R S Prasanna and produced under Aamir Khan Productions alongside Aparna Purohit, Ravi Bhagchandka and B Shrinivas Rao, this official Hindi adaptation of the 2018 Spanish film ‘Champions’ moves away from the heavy emotional pull of ‘Taare Zameen Par’ and takes a lighter, more upbeat route while still carrying an important message.
Khan plays Gulshan, an arrogant and self-absorbed basketball coach whose career hits a wall after a public outburst. As a punishment, he is ordered to train a team of specially-abled young adults for an amateur basketball tournament. What begins as an ego-crushing obligation slowly becomes a path to redemption for Gulshan, while for the players who, until now, had been dismissed by society, it is one of the most significant experiences of their lives.
The film’s biggest strength lies in its cast of newcomers. Each actor brings sincerity and charm to their role without falling into caricature. Ashish Pendse, in particular, leaves a lasting impact as Sunil Gupta, offering depth in both comedic and emotional moments.
Genelia Deshmukh playing Gulshan’s wife, Sunita, makes a graceful return to the silver screen, bringing warmth and maturity to her role without trying to overshadow the core story. Supporting actor Dolly Ahluwalia as Preeto adds a touch of humour while Gurpal Singh essaying the role of Kartar Paaji brings familiarity, moments of reflection and introspection in the story. These characters along with others never feel out of place in the ensemble.
The film, written by Divy Nidhi Sharma, avoids heavy-handedness, allowing the story to breathe and the characters to grow organically. While the first half takes a while to settle in, occasionally leaning on tropes seen before in sports dramas, the second half hits a confident stride. The film doesn’t dwell on sentimentality but lets the emotional moments unfold naturally, making the pay-off more genuine.
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Technically, the film is sound. G Srinivas Reddy’s cinematography keeps the visuals clean and engaging, particularly during the basketball match sequences, which are full of energy. Songs by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, along with musical score by Ram Sampath, create a feel-good factor in the film, both complementing the narrative well, especially while uplifting montages in quieter, introspective scenes.
While the transformation of Khan’s character follows a predictable arc, it’s executed with restraint, never feeling forced. This is not a film that aims to shock or overwhelm; it simply wants to connect, and on that front, it largely succeeds.
‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ may not have the emotional depth or novelty of its spiritual predecessor from 2007, ‘Taare Zameen Par’, but it doesn’t need to. It’s a feel-good film with an important message, powered by fresh performances, gentle humour, and a leading man who knows when to step back and let others shine. It celebrates ability over what is wrongly regarded by many as disability, spirit over struggle, and joy over judgment-without preaching.
‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ delivers exactly what the title promises, ‘Stars on Earth’, finally getting their moment to shine.
BizAsia Rating: 3.5/5
