Sitaare Zameen Par review: Aamir Khan’s comeback is a heartfelt reminder of what cinema can still be!

Sincere, warm, and quietly powerful, Sitaare Zameen Par is both a worthy comeback for Aamir Khan and a welcome return to heartful Hindi cinema!

A common complaint these days about Hindi cinema is that it’s lost its heart. The emotional storytelling that once defined it has been replaced by trend-chasing and formula. But perhaps this isn’t just a reflection of our films, it’s a reflection of us. In a world where everyone is busy building their own little spaces, chasing validation on social media, and fitting into increasingly narrow boxes, we’ve forgotten what community feels like. What it means to care or slow down for others. To exist with one another in reality, not just virtually. Most of us are invisible, fighting to be seen in places that weren’t built for true connection. And maybe our cinema is mirroring that disconnection. Which is why, more than just films, the world could use a fresh perspective on life. In that case, Sitaare Zameen Par, through its simplistic story and sincerity, offers just that. It's a fresh perspective and a warm reminder in the art of living life that marks Aamir Khan’s return to the big screen after a long hiatus both timely and moving. 

As a spiritual sequel to Taare Zameen Par, there is bound to be some expectation of the same emotional depth and that lingering poignancy. But Sitaare Zameen Par surprises us. Though it draws inspiration from the 2018 Spanish film Champions, it doesn’t try to replicate what its spiritual predecessor did. In fact the only thing it truly borrows is the spirit that lies in the ability to look at the world differently and understand those whose “normal” doesn’t fit societal standards. So if in Taare, Aamir was the teacher that schooled everyone from a back seat, in Sitaare, he steps up front, not as a saviour, but as someone who needs saving just like us as the audience. Gulshan, his character, is an arrogant, cocky junior basketball coach constantly mocked for his small height. He hates being called “tingu,” but he’s so consumed by his own wounds that he fails to see anyone else’s. When his life takes a nosedive from facing suspension, he's sentenced to a DUI which requires community service in the form of 'coaching a basketball team made up of neurodivergent adults'. What begins as a punishment turns into a journey of humility, perspective, and relearning the basics of humanity that is kindness, joy, and acceptance.

Also Read: How Taare Zameen Par taught us to see differently and why we need that lesson again!

The team Gulshan coaches includes players with Down syndrome, autism, and other conditions that place them outside the box of “normal” that society tries to force everyone into. So the film’s leaning on lightness and letting humor guide much of the narrative that risks occasional misinterpretation, making comedic moments from the film walk the thin line between laughing with and laughing at. But this is where the film wins for me - director R.S. Prasanna and writer Divy Nidhi understand that their film is about individuals on a spectrum whose lives might seem quirky or “unserious” to the outside world. And I say this from personal experience. My cousin has Down syndrome and growing up with him has taught me to let go of the idea that I always know better, and to embrace the way he finds joy, humour, and lightness in the everyday. He sees the world simply and that simplicity is a gift, not a flaw. And the film borrows this as its tone to tell its story, challenging Gulshan (and us) to unlearn what we think we know about “normal.”

There’s a line in the film where a character says these neurodivergent individuals help keep alive the innocence and playfulness that so many households lose over time. And I couldn’t agree more! Sitaare Zameen Par, at it core, is a celebration of that, of small wins that feel huge, of overcoming the fear of bathing or riding in an elevator, of rediscovering the childlike joy in things we’ve long stopped noticing. Somehow, in our so-called grown-up world, we’ve stopped celebrating these moments. We see them as trivial, irrational, and childish. But the film reminds us through its neurodivergent characters in their 30s that maybe there’s nothing wrong with living with a childlike heart. Whether it is as simple as apologizing to solve a fight, not losing heart on one own's loss but celebrating someone else’s success, or saying the most brutally honest things without filters. There’s a purity in how they navigate the world which is reflected in the film’s bare minimum storytelling, and that’s not a drawback. 

In fact that’s exactly Aamir’s strength. It speaks to his long-standing role as a reformer, someone who bridges the gap between meaningful storytelling and mass accessibility. He has always operated on his own terms. Walking away from films, returning with a film full of first-time neurodivergent actors who overshine him, and refusing to sell to streaming platforms are bold choices. In that sense, Sitaare Zameen Par may be a little underwhleming and not be perfect! Rather it’s spoon feeding in its messaging, almost like an emotional PSA but it works. Because when all of us these days have forgotten the basic act of compassion, this film doesn’t just ask us to look at the world differently, it shows us how and gently nudges us toward doing it. Its gentle approach in an era of fast paced hypersim is a reminder that being decent, humble, and open-hearted is a radical act, too.

If Jawan was an ode to SRK’s legacy and a triumphant box office return for Hindi cinema, then Sitaare Zameen Par might just be an ode to Aamir Khan’s legacy and his comeback. A return not just of a changemaker of a superstar, but for the kind of hopeful storytelling that once defined Bollywood - heartful, socially relevant and deeply human. Proof? For a first day first show, the theatre was nearly full with laughter ringing throughout. The film does what cinema is meant to do - offer joy, bring people together, and tell a story that means something.