BY NAMITA DOGRA SUDAN*
When you title a film Sitaare Zameen Par, you automatically carry the emotional burden of Taare Zameen Par, a film that touched millions and redefined how Indian cinema portrayed childhood and neurodiversity. Sitaare Zameen Par, Aamir Khan’s latest offering and spiritual sequel of Taare Zameen Par, aims to be a feel-good, family entertainer and while it works on a surface level, it ultimately fails to carry forward the emotional weight of its predecessor.
Sitaare Zameen Par follows the journey of Gulshan (Aamir Khan), a once-successful but arrogant basketball coach whose career takes a nosedive after a drunk-driving incident. As part of his court-mandated community service, he is assigned the seemingly impossible task of training a team of neurodivergent individuals for an upcoming basketball tournament. Initially dismissive and mocking of their abilities, Gulshan is forced to confront his own prejudices as he spends time with the team.
What Works – Heartwarming Moments and Strong Performances
One of the film’s strongest elements is its cast of neurodivergent actors, who bring authenticity and charm. Their natural performances often outshine the lead, reminding us why stories about innocence — when told well — always leave a mark. Sitaare Zameen Par also fills a current gap in Indian cinema: a clean, wholesome, and truly family-friendly movie that can be watched by kids, parents, and grandparents alike.
The humor, light moments, and ‘aww’-inducing scenes are spread evenly, especially in the first half. The basketball sequences build energy and help keep the narrative engaging. At a time when most films lean toward darkness, action, or convoluted themes, Sitaare Zameen Par feels refreshing in its simplicity.
What Doesn’t – Flat Execution and Emotional Misses
Despite its good intentions, the film lacks the emotional punch it sets out to deliver. It touches on several themes, intellectual disabilities, the stigma around late pregnancy, even older parents’ love life, but without giving any one topic the depth it deserves.
Aamir Khan’s performance feels uneven. At times, he seems to be trying too hard to appear younger, which ends up making some moments feel forced. The subplot involving his mother’s boyfriend also feels out of place, slightly derailing the core story instead of enhancing it. This particular social message might have been better suited for a different film, as this one was already juggling multiple themes, making this subplot feel forced and unnecessary.
The pacing is another issue. While the first half is relatively tight and focused, the second half meanders. There are no real emotional climaxes or dramatic peaks. The music, though pleasant, is forgettable, a far cry from the hauntingly beautiful songs of Taare Zameen Par. Finally, the choice to not release the film on OTT and limit its theatrical run raises concerns about its accessibility. Did Aamir get a little too cocky and overconfident with the film’s strategy?
Taare vs Sitaare – The Unavoidable Comparison
Aamir Khan himself clarified in promotions that Taare Zameen Par was an emotional journey, while Sitaare Zameen Paris a light-hearted comedy. Still, the subconscious comparison between the two never quite fades. Where TZP delved deep into the world of a dyslexic child, capturing both the cruelty and beauty of a misunderstood mind, Sitaare Zameen Par brings us into the lives of intellectually challenged adults in a sports-driven story, a noble attempt, but one that stays emotionally flat. Despite its 2 hour and 30 minute runtime, the film falls short in exploring the individual struggles and family backgrounds of its intellectually disabled characters, something Taare Zameen Par managed to do with far more depth and sensitivity. Had this film been released without riding on the back of TZP, it might have been received with more warmth and less expectation.
Audience Reactions – Unfiltered Voices from the Theatre
After the screening, NRI Pulse spoke to Indian-American viewers to gather real-time reactions. Tarveen Kaur shared that she liked the film overall but felt that Taare Zameen Par was more impactful. “This was sweet and had good moments, but TZP had a deeper emotional pull,” she said.
Avantika, who hasn’t seen Taare Zameen Par, said she loved the movie thoroughly. “It was funny, had a strong moral, and I enjoyed every bit of it,” she said. Her perspective, free from comparisons, came across as unbiased and fresh. Another viewer noted, “I’m honestly tired of all these senseless action films with no story, this was a good break.”
A young child viewer, excited by the sports sequences, chimed in: “I liked the part where they went into the finals, that was my favorite!” Across the board, audience members praised the performances of the Intellectually disabled actors, the film’s message, and its family-friendly tone, even if some wished for more emotional depth.
Final Verdict: Light, Lovely, but Not Legacy-Making
Sitaare Zameen Par is a feel-good, family-friendly film that makes you smile more than it makes you think. It has heart, largely thanks to its incredible Intellectually disabled actors, and offers a much-needed break from the mindless action dominating Bollywood lately. But when a film carries the legacy of Taare Zameen Par in its title, it brings along expectations that are hard to meet.
As a standalone story, it works. But as a “spiritual sequel” to one of Indian cinema’s most emotionally stirring films, it struggles under the weight of its own title. It’s worth a one-time watch, but if you’d rather wait for the OTT release, that’s a fair choice too.
Rating: 3.5/5
*Namita Dogra Sudan is the entertainment news editor and video news producer of NRIPulse.
