Latest news with #SitareZameenPar
Time of India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Declare ‘Sitaare Zameen Par' tax-free: Divyang orgn to CM
Jaipur: Divyang Adhikar Mahasangh, an advocacy group for the rights of specially abled persons, urged chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma to declare the newly released film 'Sitaare Zameen Par' tax-free in the state. In a letter to the CM, the president of the organisation, Hemant Bhai Goyal, wrote, "I humbly request that the recently released Hindi film 'Sitare Zameen Par' be declared tax-free in the state of Rajasthan. This film focuses on the lives, struggles, talents, and confidence of children with special needs (Divyangjan). It demonstrates how such children can be integrated into the mainstream through sports and sensitive leadership." "This will promote inclusion, equality, and a positive attitude towards specially abled individuals in society," he wrote. Goyal said the film reflects the spirit of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 and promotes respect and inclusion for specially abled individuals in society. "It conveys a message of making specially abled children self-reliant through sports, aligning with the objectives of NEP 2020 and the inclusive sports policy," he wrote. "The film highlights mental health, self-esteem, and the role of family, which are essential social needs of our time," he further wrote. Goyal said the Rajasthan govt has always promoted the welfare and social harmony of specially abled individuals. "This decision will further strengthen those efforts. If the film is made tax-free, it will reach rural and low-income groups, increasing awareness and sensitivity towards such individuals among the public," he added.
Khaleej Times
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Movie Review: Aamir Khan's 'Sitare Zameen Par' is heartfelt but too simplistic
The year was 2007. Amid the glut of masala, action oriented and romantic films that dominated the scene, Bollywood produced an unconventional gem — a story of a child suffering from dyslexia, misunderstood by everyone until a kind-hearted teacher (Ram, played by Aamir Khan) helps him bloom. Taare Zameen Par (TZP) was an unlikely movie to come out of cliche-ridden Bollywood but went on to become a huge hit, sparking conversations and triggering emotions. What worked? Its straight-from-the-heart story, beautiful music and incredible performances. Cut to 2025. Amid a glut of OTT action and fantasy disasters, foolish horror comedies and bad historicals, comes another unconventional film — focusing on people of determination, their joys, lives and laughter. Given the all-pervading doom and gloom in our world today, a piece of cinematic art that spotlights kindness, humanity and simplicity should be a refreshing change. And considering the utter lack of creativity from mainstream Hindi cinema, a wholesome, positive film should be the perfect antidote to our numbed-by-mediocrity sensibilities. But does Sitare Zameen Par (SZP) serve that purpose? The answer: Sometimes yes, but mostly no. There is no doubt that SZP is TZP' s spiritual sister with Aamir and the sensitive storyline being the common factors. The biggest plus point: the theme and choice of cast. In a film starring one of Hindi cinema's biggest stars and other veterans, the spotlight rightly shines on a group of sassy, neurodivergent actors who win your heart with their charm and spunk. The industry is notorious for its utter lack of inclusivity but SZP is that rare film that walks the talk. So kudos to the bold step! However, is that enough? What made TZP special was its organic approach to the subject that made us empathise and be part of Ishan Awasthy — the dyslexia-afflicted child's — frustrations and triumphs. SZP unfortunately fails to do the same. You applaud it, you sympathise with the characters, you understand where they come from but you end up doing so from the periphery. It's like attending a TEDx Talk on how to view and interact with neurodivergent individuals albeit with a bit of humour and a sprinkling of drama. Aamir plays Gulshan, an arrogant basketball junior coach who rubs his seniors the wrong way, has an extended tiff with his wife (Genelia) and is caught drunk driving all on the same night. As punishment, he is recommended community service which includes training a group of basketball players on the spectrum for a national level competition. Predictably, he is out of sorts and meets them with a bunch of prejudices, but even more predictably, they end up transforming his attitudes, he gets his concepts of mental health sorted, makes up with his wife and emerges a new person. Another point that deserves special mention: while it has a do-or-die basketball final match in the climax, the result is far from what you expect. And perhaps this is the film's most important message — that empathy, kindness and understanding need not be defined by success or failure in a race or contest, nor should people be judged on the basis of the results they achieve. Just showing up is sometimes enough. However, despite all these green flags, if SZP falls short in satisfying the cinephile in you, it's due to its treatment. The empathy feels overly manufactured, the messaging too on-the-nose, the life lessons sound like they're lifted from Instagram captions and the lead character's self-realisation is spelled out a little too clearly. What if we were allowed to f-e-e-l and absorb instead? While it's commendable that the screenplay avoids emotional manipulation through sob stories or dramatising the team's and their families' struggles, it also fails to let the emotions emerge naturally. In one instance, a character explains to Gulshan the symptoms of those on the spectrum, the role of chromosomes and how everyone has their own version of 'normal". Though well-meaning, the scene feels too explanatory and obvious. When he finally realises where he went wrong, he says aloud, 'I used to be so selfish, I never looked at others' perspectives…these children changed me…' Yes, we saw that! Director R.S. Prasanna, working off a script by Divi Nidhi Sharma and adapted from the Spanish drama Campeones, takes a super-linear route though he is determined to keep it sunny and funny which doesn't always work. Perhaps, it's because most sequences are designed to preach. When a character calls someone 'Parsi', he is immediately corrected by another - 'he has a name'. A truly funny scene involving a close friendship between Dolly Singh Ahluwalia (playing Gulshan's mother) and Brijendra Kala comes with a message of accepting senior citizen relationships. It's like everyone is bent on reforming Gulshan and teaching him lessons on acceptance! Of course, the 'beaten down coach finding meaning to his life training a bunch of apparent no-hopers' is the oldest trope in motivational films but they could make engaging cinema if handled adeptly. SZP gets the ingredients right but the end recipe is bland. Blame it on the simplistic lens with which it presents every problem and solution. Just the right intentions do not make for entertaining cinema so while you may pat its objectives on the back it may not enthuse you watch it again. Surprisingly, part of the problem lies with Aamir Khan himself. Several scenes feel like affectionate nods to his iconic past — a chase sequence set to Delhi Belly 's ' DK Bose", a lyrical reference to his famous Papa Kehte Hain, and a Hum Jeet Gaye roar at the end of a match, reminiscent of Lagaan. But these callbacks don't translate into a compelling performance. The otherwise brilliant actor appears stuck in a familiar loop — head-scratching, wide-eyed, mouth-agape expressions that echo his over-the-top portrayal in Laal Singh Chaddha. His Gulshan feels like a blend of Ram (Taare Zameen Par), Rancho (3 Idiots) and Laal (Laal Singh Chaddha), with little evolution or variation. While his sincerity and belief in the film's message deserve all the plaudits, the performance itself feels overly rehearsed and self-conscious — ironically, the very opposite of what Gulshan is meant to be. Comparatively, his co-stars — Genelia (Bollywood deserves more of her!) and Dolly Singh Ahluwalia (remember her in Vicky Donor and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani?) are natural and fit in the milieu well. But all said and done, let's give Aamir Khan credit where it's due — making a truly inclusive film and introducing a new bunch of actors. Remember the names of the 'sitaaras' — Ayush Bhansali, Simran Mangeshkar, Ashish Pendse, Rishabh Jain, Rishi Shahani, Aroush Dutta, Vedant Sharma, Samvit Desai and Naman Sharma. They restore your faith in humanity even if the cinematic world they perform in falls short.
News18
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
It Was A ‘Directors' Cut' At Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par Premiere
Milap Zaveri shared a picture from the premiere of Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par, along with other acclaimed filmmakers. Director Milap Zaveri has shared an inside picture from a special directors' meet with the likes of Rajkumar Hirani, Madhur Bhandarkar, Ashutosh Gowariker and others. Taking to his Instagram handle, Zaveri uploaded a group picture with the filmmakers, showing them posing enthusiastically for the camera and striking the peace sign with their hands. 'Director's Cut! What an honour to share the same picture with these legends!" he captioned the post. The Satyamev Jayate director refrained from divulging the details about the agenda of their meeting. However, it seems the group was gathered for the premiere of Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par. While Zaveri remains at the extreme left of the frame, he is joined by directors Rakesh Om Prakash Mehra, Indra Kumar, Madhur Bhandarkar, Ashutosh Gowariker, Vipul Shah, Ashoke Pandit and Rajkumar Hirani at the rightmost corner. Fans were delighted to see the directors together in a single frame as one wrote, 'How cool!!" while another added, 'A Billion." Casting director Paragg Mehta also hopped into the comment section and noted, 'Brilliant one." Ashoke Pandit reshared the picture on his Instagram stories, with the caption, 'All of us met to celebrate Aamir Khan Productions' brilliant film #SitareZameenPar." With that said, the film's premiere event was a star-studded one, with many celebrities in attendance. Apart from the directors, stars like Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Vicky Kaushal, Rekha, Tamannaah Bhatia, Tiger Shroff and Riteish Deshmukh also came forward to lend their support and celebrate the film's message. More About Sitaare Zameen Par Directed by RS Prasanna, Sitaare Zameen Par is dubbed as the spiritual successor to Aamir Khan's 2007 film, Taare Zameen Par. The previous film focused on a dyslexic boy, whereas the new chapter expands to shed light on the lives of neurodivergent adults. Khan steps into the shoes of an egoistic basketball coach, Gulshan Arora, tasked with community service of training the players after he is suspended over a DUI. Initially reluctant to take up the job, Gulshan begins a new journey completely unprepared for what happens next. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aamir Khan Productions (@aamirkhanproductions) An official remake of the 2018 Italian film Campeones, Sitaare Zameen Par also stars Genelia Deshmukh. Among others are Ashish Pendse, Aroush Datta, Aayush Bhansali, Rishi Shahani, GopiKrishnan K Verma, Rishabh Jain, Vedant Sharma, Samvit Desai and Naman Misra. The film hit screens across the country on Friday, June 20. First Published: June 20, 2025, 14:40 IST
India.com
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Sitaare Zameen Par Box Office Day 1 Prediction: Aamir Khan starrer gets off to a slow start, earn Rs…
Superstar Aamir Khan's most anticipated film, Sitaare Zameen Par , has finally hit the theaters. Helmed by R.S. Prasanna, this film is a sequel to the 2007 blockbuster, Taare Zameen Par . As per the early reviews, the film is receiving a positive response from audiences and critics, which can be a game-changer for Aamir Khan. Early estimates predict that Sitaare Zameen Par is expected to open with big numbers. Early Prediction For Sitaare Zameen Par As per India Today, Trade analyst Taran Adarsh has mentioned that the film can show its huge growth on the word of mouth. He said, 'The box office run currently depends on word-of-mouth. Since the promotion for the film is very light, now the film's success depends only on Aamir Khan's face value. For the opening weekend, it could be around Rs 30 crore.' He further added, 'Since it's a sequel to Taare Zameen Par, and the 2007 film did really well in its time, I hope Sitaare Zameen Par works well for Aamir. While the film's numbers won't go beyond Taare Zameen Par, it should at least touch a success limit, unlike his recent movies,' Meanwhile, as per early estimates shown by trade website Sacnilk, by this time, Aamir Khan's starrer has earned Rs 1.68 crore (more to be earned). According to Sacnlink, tickets for morning shows worth 1.15 lakhs have been sold for 9542 shows of the Hindi version of Sitare Zameen Par. While tickets worth Rs 2.73 lakhs have been sold for 163 shows of the Tamil version. The tickets for 342 shows of the Telugu version cost Rs 9.84 lakhs. After all this, the advance booking of the film has earned up to Rs 6.88 crores. More about Sitare Zameen Par Sitaare Zameen Par features Genelia Deshmukh and includes ten newcomers: Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishna Varma, Samvit Desai, Vedant Sharma, Ayush Bhansali, Ashish Pendse, Rishi Shahani, Rishabh Jain, Naman Mishra, and Simran Mangeshkar, along with Dolly Ahluwalia , Brijendra Kala and Gurpal Singh in pivotal roles.
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
‘Housefull 5' Box Office collection day 14: Akshay Kumar's film slows down as Aamir Khan's ‘Sitare Zameen Par' hits cinemas
After a smashing start at the box office, Akshay Kumar 's comic entertainer 'Housefull 5' has started to slow down as it enters its third week. The film, directed by Tarun Mansukhani , released on 6 June and made waves with its unique twist—two climaxes! But just as the buzz begins to settle, another big star is stepping into the spotlight, Aamir Khan , with his sports comedy 'Sitare Zameen Par', which releases today. According to early estimates by Sacnilk, Housefull 5 collected Rs 2.65 crore on day 14, taking its total box office collection in India to Rs 167.90 crore in 14 days. A good start for 'Housefull 5' There's no doubt that 'Housefull 5' began its run on a high. It collected a massive Rs 24 crore on day one itself. The film picked up even more over the weekend, earning Rs 31 crore on Saturday and Rs 32.5 crore on Sunday. This took its first-week total to a whopping Rs 127.25 crore. Day 1 (Friday): Rs 24 crore Day 2 (Saturday): Rs 31 crore Day 3 (Sunday): Rs 32.5 crore Day 4 (Monday): Rs 13 crore Day 5 (Tuesday): Rs 11.25 crore Day 6 (Wednesday): Rs 8.5 crore Day 7 (Thursday): Rs 7 crore Total for Week 1: Rs 127.25 crore In its second week, 'Housefull 5' began to see a drop in earnings. Still, it managed to pull in decent numbers across the week. Day 8 (Friday): Rs 6 crore Day 9 (Saturday): Rs 9.5 crore Day 10 (Sunday): Rs 11.5 crore Day 11 (Monday): Rs 3.75 crore Day 12 (Tuesday): Rs 4.25 crore Day 13 (Wednesday): Rs 3 crore Day 14 (Thursday): Rs 2.65 crore (early estimate) Total collection after 14 days: Rs 167.90 crore Aamir Khan arrives with 'Sitare Zameen Par' But now, the comedy film faces a new test. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Aamir Khan's 'Sitare Zameen Par' hits the big screen today, 20 June. As 'Housefull 5' continues its third week, Aamir's new film could take a share of the audience. The advance bookings for 'Sitare Zameen Par' show promise. As per early numbers by Sacnilk, the film has already sold thousands of tickets across the country. The advance booking numbers for Aamir Khan's 'Sitare Zameen Par' look promising. In Hindi (2D), the film has earned Rs 3.18 crore from 1,03,866 tickets across 9,037 shows. The Tamil version collected Rs 2.73 lakh from 2,149 tickets across 163 shows, while the Telugu version made Rs 9.84 lakh from 9,308 tickets across 342 shows. In total, the film has earned Rs 3.31 crore in advance bookings across India, covering a massive 9,542 shows nationwide. With such a wide release and solid bookings, the film is set for a strong start. And this could mean tougher days ahead for 'Housefull 5' at the ticket windows. Chitrangda Singh Defends 'Housefull 5' Amid Plagiarism Claims & Cringe Comedy Backlash
