Sitaare Zameen Par Review | When The Lesson Turns Back On The Teacher

Aamir Khan바카라�s genius lies in his intuitive grasp of what resonates in the theatre. The jolting power of a Ram Sampath soundtrack or the lightly offensive comedy, sewn together with well-intended yet overstated moralistic jargon, does wonders. While a film like Sitaare Zameen Par, directed by RS Prasanna, establishes itself as a remake of the Spanish film Champions (2018), it has been moulded to blend well within the Indian context, specifically its censor board restrictions. PM Modi바카라�s quote before the disclaimers, or the ridiculous CBFC revisions ostensibly designed to safeguard the sanctity of 바카라�businesswomen바카라� and even more, the 바카라�lotus바카라�바카라� seem entirely outdated.

Setting these disclaimers aside, the film promises to follow the familiar blueprint of Aamir바카라�s previous ventures. The storytelling suffers, but never loudly enough to disrupt the viewing experience바카라�much like Laapataa Ladies (2023) or Superboys of Malegaon (2025). Make no mistake, these are commendable films, yet here Aamir does not venture into truly uncharted territory; rather, he bares himself openly, only this time, he is the 바카라�sitara바카라�. In doing so, he attempts to prove why he continues to be one of the finest producers operating in an industry, which has been creatively lulled into inertia.

To bring one바카라�s insecurity into the plot of a film, to be made fun of, yet own it, is something Aamir manages to pull off. There are countless jokes바카라�both within the film and beyond바카라�where Aamir falls short. And yet, he offers himself up willingly, as the butt of the joke (There바카라�s a butt joke in the film too, but let바카라�s keep that for later).

Aamir plays Gulshan Arora, a tough, emotionally avoidant junior basketball coach, shaped by a Delhi that gifted him arrogance, rage, frustration바카라�and of course, a heart. He is emblematic of the 바카라�he바카라�s not angry, he바카라�s just passionate바카라� sportsman archetype. As a coach, Gulshan is acutely aware of his calibre, but his intolerance for even a hint of disrespect becomes his undoing. In a surreal twist of cinematic self-reference, Khan breaks into a reprise of 바카라�Bhaag Bhaag DK Bose바카라� from his own production Delhi Belly (2011). Similar to Tashi (Imraan Khan), a drunk Gulshan hurtles through a car chase sequence, the anthem blaring behind him. It바카라�s self-referential, almost indulgent, but in that moment, strangely effective.

Khan is supported by a lively and energetic cast of ten, united by a court-appointed corrective measure that irrevocably binds their fates. Reminiscent of the now-iconic Abhijeet Bhattacharya troll comment, Gulshan바카라�s senior coach Paswan ji (Deepraj Rana) bluntly declares, 바카라�Aap coach bohot ache ho par aadmi suar ho.바카라� Gulshan is deliberately written as an unlikeable man바카라�this is his burden and the path he must traverse to evolve.

Like sugar that requires stirring to dissolve and impart its sweetness to tea, the unlikely team initially struggles to find harmony, fractured by early hiccups and resistance. Gulshan is immediately met with disdain, as one teammate, Sharmaji (Rishi Shahani), bluntly remarks, 바카라�Naya coach gadha hai!바카라� He is the very antithesis of the sweetness and resolution he so desperately seeks바카라�standing instead on the other side of vulnerability and the death of his ego. Meanwhile, a rift festers between Gulshan and his wife Sunita (Genelia D바카라�souza), a tension only fully unveiled later in the narrative. Genelia바카라�whose bubbly and fierce Aditi in another Aamir production, Jaane Tu바카라� Ya Jaane Na (2008), remains memorable바카라�here shares with Aamir a chemistry that is not only lacking but distinctly unsavory.

The noteworthy aspect of Sitaare Zameen Par lies in its relentless attempt to avoid becoming a savior narrative바카라�a feat it manages to conceal for a while, but ultimately falters at. For instance, there바카라�s a scene where Preeto (Dolly Ahluwalia), Gulshan바카라�s mother recounts his childhood, reminding him how she once fought his coach to let him pursue basketball despite him being short, declaring, 바카라�Someone has to fight for the people who are different.바카라� And now, that someone is Gulshan, resolved to coach a chaotic yet lovable team of ten through various basketball tournaments.

Unlike Ram Nikumbh in Taare Zameen Par (2007), Gulshan is neither as sensitive nor as internally balanced in his approach toward his students, though the same dogged persistence remains. Nikumbh, as an art teacher, embodies empathy and likability바카라�almost a knight in shining armor, but it is Darsheel Safary바카라�s Ishaan, who is granted enough dignity and focus to reclaim the film from Aamir, outshining him with quiet authority. This, precisely, is what makes Taare Zameen Par an unequivocal success deserving of all its acclaim. Sitaare Zameen Par, though, doesn바카라�t quite manage to let the others outshine Aamir.

Despite being first-time actors, the cast is an absolute delight on screen. They are neurodivergent both in life and performance, and their quirks are written so as to own their personalities with pride. Yet, not every moment feels earned. Some instances are framed as comic relief, drawn from Gulshan바카라�s biases, and not all of them sit right. Sitaare Zameen Par is deeply invested in Gulshan바카라�s uninspired coaching arc바카라�a personal crisis thinly disguised as a team story. The film바카라�s heart is unmistakably in the right place, though one cannot help but wonder바카라�Is Aamir the real 바카라�sitara바카라� in this story?

Covering every character바카라�s backstory with the song 바카라�Good for Nothing바카라� by Amitabh Bhattacharya and Shankar바카라�Ehsaan바카라�Loy, the film leans into lazy exposition at several points. Kartar Paaji (Gurpal Singh) is reduced to the archetype of the protagonist바카라�s wise elder바카라�a man tasked not only with guiding Gulshan inward but also bearing the emotional labour of educating the viewer. The title itself, 바카라�Sabka Apna Apna Normal바카라�, insists on tolerance, reiterating the need to stay open to those who don바카라�t look, speak, feel, act, or think like us. And in doing so, it gestures kindly바카라�if a little fleetingly바카라�towards the often-unseen realm of 바카라�invisible바카라� disabilities, particularly through Hargovind (Naman Misra), reminding us that everyone moves through their own spectrum of ability in ways that aren바카라�t always visible, but no less real. Sitaare Zameen Par is witty in parts바카라�sometimes absurd, sometimes sharply timed. These moments shimmer briefly, self-aware yet chaotic, holding the film바카라�s humour together like a delicate thread.

In the many instances where Gulshan scratches his head, out of frustration, shyness, or something in between바카라�emerges an Aamir who seems to carry a quiet, but evident sense of responsibility and passion for the story he바카라�s chosen to tell. The film touches on phobias too, framing them not as dramatic obstacles but as intimate fears that can be softened with the right support. Aamir바카라�s own claustrophobia바카라�his fear of lifts and what could go wrong inside them바카라�is mirrored in Guddu바카라�s fear of drowning. Together, they nudge each other toward courage in a way that feels understated, almost tender바카라�offering a glimpse into the film바카라�s emotional intent, even when the craft itself falters.

The flaw in storytelling lingers throughout, but reveals itself most plainly when the final conflict emerges. It feels lazy, convenient, underwhelming, and too neat an obstacle, placed there just to bring Sunita and Gulshan closer. Sunita, the ever-patient wife who loves her husband a little too much despite his endless annoyances, listens, sighs, and rolls her eyes바카라�sometimes all at once.

What doesn바카라�t sit right with me, though, is the film바카라�s perspective on parenthood. While Sunita and Gulshan are at odds, Sitaare바카라� frames the debate in a way that demands justification for opting out, rather than honouring it as a personal, private choice. Parenthood is not something one should be guilted into, nor a milestone to be reached simply because one has 바카라�grown up.바카라� Gulshan바카라�s refusal hinges oddly on a fear of raising an 바카라�intellectually disabled kid바카라�바카라�a concern voiced conveniently before he even meets the team. The reasoning feels too constructed, too neat. Sometimes, a person just doesn바카라�t want children. That should be reason enough. There was no need for an entire narrative arc and ensemble cast to subtly convince him otherwise.

Sitaare Zameen Par is undeniably a crowd-pleaser, yet it lacks the sustained ethos and wit needed to fully justify its storytelling. Amidst the team he seeks to uplift, Aamir remains a distinct presence바카라�perhaps inevitably so for Aamir Khan Productions. Still, it is genuinely refreshing to witness neurodivergent actors inhabiting their roles with such effortless authenticity. In the end, alongside bringing brilliant actors to the forefront, Sitaare Zameen Par succeeds in making theatres both cry and laugh바카라�and perhaps, that is its victory, and nothing more.