Entertainment

IIE DIGITAL DESK : June 23, 2025 — Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par has delivered an unexpected knockout at the box office, raking in over ₹60 crore domestically within its first three days—a remarkable turnaround for a film that began with modest expectations.

Directed by R.S. Prasanna and produced under Aamir’s own banner, the sports-comedy-drama premiered on June 20 in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. Although Friday’s opening of around ₹10.7 crore was steady, the film witnessed a sensational surge in collections—doubling on Saturday to ₹20.2 crore and then jumping a further 45% to approximately ₹29.2 crore on Sunday. According to NDTV and Sacnilk, the three-day total stands at ₹59 – 60.1 crore.

Trade analysts underscore the significance of this weekend growth: “It is the first instance that a movie, which opened to around ₹10.50 crores net, went on to score ₹60 crores weekend…” Sacnilk noted—a testament to the movie’s potent word-of-mouth publicity .

In stark contrast, Aamir’s previous 2022 release Laal Singh Chaddha had amassed ₹61.36 crore over its entire theatrical lifetime. Now, Sitaare Zameen Par is closing in on that mark in just three days, with projections suggesting it could overtake the lifetime total by the end of Monday. The film has outperformed other recent productions such as Jaat, Kesari Chapter 2, and Sikandar in their first weekend.

The trend has also mirrored strong audience engagement: Hindi screenings recorded roughly 50–57% occupancy on Sunday, Tamil shows saw over 40% occupancy, while Telugu screenings touched around 22%.

The storyline—a remake of the 2018 Spanish film Champions and a spiritual successor to Taare Zameen Par—centers on a basketball coach serving community service by mentoring players with disabilities. The cast includes fresh talent alongside Genelia Deshmukh, Brijendra Kala, and Dolly Ahluwalia.

Critics have lauded Aamir’s performance and the film’s heartfelt narrative. NDTV’s Saibal Chatterjee awarded it 3.5 out of 5, hailing it as a blend of comedy, emotion, and resilience narrative.

The film’s weekend success not only marks Aamir’s triumphant screen comeback after a hiatus but also highlights the potential of mid-budget, content-rich cinema to captivate audiences without relying on star-studded spectacle. Market analysts suggest that the “Monday test” could be equally promising, potentially pushing the total past the ₹100 crore mark .

Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par has dramatically surpassed expectations, closing its opening weekend near ₹60 crore despite modest beginnings. With stellar word-of-mouth, cross-language appeal, and a feel-good storyline, the film is poised for a strong theatrical run, possibly besting the lifetime earnings of recent Aamir films—and perhaps even breaking into the coveted ₹100 crore club.