Celebrity News

Bollywood actor Aamir Khan made a much-anticipated return to the big screen with Sitaare Zameen Par. However, his recent release was met with a lukewarm response at the box office. The film was released nearly three years after the actor’s last appearance in Laal Singh Chaddha.

It was expected to make a stronger debut given the actor’s reputation for box office dominance, but it failed.

According to data published on Sacnilk.com, Sitaare Zameen Par collected Rs 11.7 crore on Day 1 of its release. It also recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of 21.43% on its opening Friday. The morning shows reportedly saw an attendance of just 16.74%, which dipped slightly in the afternoon to 16.25%. However, a modest improvement was observed by the evening, with occupancy climbing to 20.21%. Despite the gradual increase, the film’s opening performance has fallen short of expectations.

The day-one figures were unable to surpass those of Laal Singh Chaddha, which had earned Rs 11.7 crore on its release day back in 2022. Even Salman Khan’s latest release, Sikandar, posted a significantly higher debut at Rs 26 crore, suggesting that Sitaare Zameen Par may have struggled to draw mass audiences despite its emotional appeal and star power.

Helmed by Shubh Mangal Saavdhan director R.S. Prasanna, the sports drama has been billed as a spiritual successor to the critically acclaimed 2007 film Taare Zameen Par. While the earlier film focused on childhood learning disorders, Sitaare Zameen Par explores the world of sports through a fresh lens, featuring a cast of ten newcomers, including Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishna Varma, Samvit Desai, and Vedant Sharma. The film is reportedly an official remake of the Spanish crowd-pleaser Campeones.

In an exclusive interview with News9Live, trade analyst Atul Mohan described the reason behind Aamir Khan’s decline over the past 7–8 years. He said, “Sitaare Zameen Par marks Aamir’s attempt to bounce back, though its opening day numbers may appear modest at first glance. However, it’s important to note that this film is not a mass commercial entertainer, and it’s targeted toward an urban, niche audience. In today’s times, where many top stars are struggling to breach even a double-digit opening and some are witnessing the lowest starts of their careers, if Sitaare Zameen Par manages to come close to or cross the 10-crore mark on Day 1, it would be a decent start.”

“Unlike Taare Zameen Par, which benefited from a strong music album, the film lacks a chartbuster to fuel pre-release buzz. This puts even more weight on word of mouth, which will be critical in determining the film’s box office journey. If the content resonates, it has the potential to grow through audience appreciation. Sitaare Zameen Par may not be designed for mass appeal, but strong word of mouth can still give it a respectable and sustained run,” he further added.

Despite the modest opening, Sitaare Zameen Par has been praised in early reviews for its heartfelt narrative and ensemble performances.