Aamir Khan and Genelia Deshmukh’s latest release, ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’, is turning out to be one of this year’s big hits. Ever since it hit cinemas on 20 June, this sports drama has pulled in crowds and enjoyed a good run at the box office. But as it stepped into its 25th day, the film’s earnings took a noticeable dip after a promising weekend.Another weekday slumpAccording to early estimates by industry tracker Sacnilk, ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ earned around Rs 50 lakh on day 25, which is Monday. This means the film saw quite a drop from its weekend numbers. On its fourth Sunday, it made Rs 2.85 crore, and on Saturday it collected Rs 2.5 crore. This sharp fall is not too surprising, as weekday collections usually slow down. Still, it marks the film’s lowest single-day collection so far, and shows how weekdays continue to test even the stronger films.About the filmDirected by RS Prasanna, ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ is more than just another sports film. It is a lovely blend of sports, comedy and deep emotions. In the film, Aamir Khan plays a basketball coach who gets suspended and is then asked to do community service. His new role is training a team of players with disabilities for an upcoming big tournament.What makes this film truly special is its cast. It features ten neurodivergent actors, all making their acting debuts. They are Aroush Datta as Satbir, Gopi Krishnan Varma as Guddu, Vedant Sharmaa as Bantu, Naman Misra as Hargovind, Rishi Shahani as Sharmaji, Rishabh Jain as Raju, Ashish Pendse as Sunil Gupta, Samvit Desai as Karim Qureshi, Simran Mangeshkar as Golu Khan, and Aayush Bhansali as Lotus. Their natural performances have added honesty and freshness to the story, winning over many hearts.ReviewsThe Times of India review gave ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ a 3.5-star rating and read, “The film mixes sentiment with spunk, avoiding overly preachy tones. ID (intellectual disabilities) is described through relatable lines like, ‘Humaari kismat haathon pe nahi, chromosome pe likh ke aati hai (Our destiny isn’t written on our palms — it’s written in our chromosomes).’ While the underdog sports narrative and troubled-coach arc feel familiar, the film’s heart and humour keep it engaging.”But not everything was glowing. The same review also pointed out,“That said, the story does wander. Subplots involving his mother, Preeto (Dolly Ahluwalia Tewari), and their butler Daulatji (Bijendra Kala) contribute little to the core story. A few other sequences feel stretched, and pacing suffers in parts. The climax gets overly sentimental in parts. Some scenes, like the team managing airfare and accommodation for the final match, come across as convenient and trite.”Up against new filmsAs ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ moves deeper into its fourth week, it faces a tough test from fresh releases. Many new films have arrived in cinemas, giving audiences plenty of options. Anurag Basu’s multi-starrer ‘Metro..In Dino’, Shanaya Kapoor’s first film opposite Vikrant Massey called ‘Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan’, and Rajkummar Rao’s much-awaited ‘Maalik’ have all given ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ a run for its money at the box office.If that wasn’t enough, Hollywood’s ‘Superman’ has also landed in theatres, attracting big crowds and adding to the competition. Even so, Aamir Khan and Genelia Deshmukh’s film has managed to hold its ground and keep fans interested.
