Director: R.S. Prasanna
Starring: Aamir Khan, Genelia D’Souza and Aroush Datta
‘A Captivating Classic’
Few actors in Bollywood are as celebrated today as Aamir Khan. Ever since his rise to stardom in the 1990’s, Khan has proven to be one of the greatest actors in Bollywood. Whether it’s star-crossed lovers, terrorists in danger or professional wrestlers, Khan has suggested he can portray many characters. Arguably, Khan’s strength as an actor is his bravery. Khan has never been afraid to take risks in his career through tackling subjects that prove controversial. Through abilities to play characters which are compelling, Khan has established a legacy which has proven to be compelling. Despite reaching the age of retirement, Khan has never lost his strong passion for producing iconic entertainment. An iconic legend in India, Khan has become a celebrated legend in Bollywood Cinema. Throughout a groundbreaking career, Khan has created several strong movies that are worth watching.
I’m a huge fan of Khan and adore all movies which he has made in his career. Now, Khan returns on the big-screen and his strengths as a performer are evident in his latest film “Sitaare Zameen Par”. Released recently in 2025, R.S. Prasanna’s movie offered a bold portrayal of disabled communities. Packed with breathtaking music sequences, strong storytelling and phenomenal acting, it’s an extraordinary Bollywood drama. Although “Sitaare Zameen Par” is an engaging Indian drama, it isn’t a flawless film. It suffers from uneven pacing that tests viewers’ patience. Nevertheless, it offers strong entertainment for fans of Aamir Khan.
“Sitaare Zameen Par” tells a story of about a basketball coach that trains intellectually disabled kids that face disaster. Aamir Khan portrays Gulshan Arora, a basketball coach that faces a dilemma in India. Gulshan has long given up hope of achieving victories in a basketball competition in India. However, Gulshan’s life drastically changes when he’s given the opportunities to coach a group of intellectually disabled kids facing pressure. Given an opportunity to care for kids which have disabilities, Gulshan seeks to achieve basketball victories. As all the odds become stacked against his favour, Gulshan strives to care for kids under pressure. Faced with a newfound sense of hope in India, Gulshan seeks to find victories in competitions which cause a dilemma.
R.S. Prasanna is fascinated with stories of disabled individuals in India. A legendary filmmaker, Prasanna has often produced engaging films about disabled individuals facing disaster. With “Sitaare Zameen Par”, however, Prasanna made his first ever film about intellectual disability. It marked the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture tense hardships faced by disabled communities but he succeeded. Evoking Aamir Khan’s “Taare Zameen Par”, Prasanna effectively uses montages to capture the lives of kids with intellectual disorder. For instance, the montages elevate the kids training scene. During this unforgettable scene, Gulshan strives to train intellectually disabled kids ahead of a basketball competition. Using stunning montages, Prasanna creates a portrait of disabilities which is compelling. Montages are tricky techniques. As Farhan Akhtar’s “Dil Chahta Hai” demonstrated, montages elevate Bollywood movies about friendship. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Through stunning visuals, R.S. Prasanna captures tensions that kids with disabilities are facing.
Another strong aspect of “Sitaare Zameen Par” that merits appreciation is production. From a technical perspective, it’s one of the best movies about disability you would ever watch. Inspired with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s “Black”, Prasanna deftly uses cross-cutting to construct musical sequences which are captivating. For instance, the cross-cutting elevates the Good for Nothing song. During this unforgettable scene, Gulshan delivers a musical number showcasing his devotion to his disabled children. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. Shankar Ehsaan Loy’s music contributes toward the success of the movie. It gives the film a tense atmosphere capturing the heavy burden that disabled children bear. Using captivating production, Prasanna captures struggles experienced by disabled children.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Sitaare Zameen Par” is a Bollywood film that’s compelling. The film is exceptionally well-written, and effectively uses silence to capture the tensions that disabled children experience. Evoking Barry Levinson’s “Rain Man”, Prasanna effectively uses silence to capture tension faced by disabled children without a strong plan. For instance, silence elevates the basketball loss scene. During this heartfelt scene, Gulshan and his team of disabled children face silence when they lose an essential basketball game. Through silence, Prasanna constructs a portrayal of disability which audiences can easily relate to. Silence is a complex technique to use in movies. As Nitesh Tiwari’s “Dangal” proved, silence elevates Bollywood films about the lives of wrestlers. Nevertheless, it works well in this movie. Through a strong screenplay, Prasanna creates a bold portrait of disabled children today.
One admires amazing performances.
Aamir Khan delivers one of his best career performances as Gulshan. Khan achieved appreciation for playing romantic heroes in celebrated Bollywood movies. With “Sitaare Zameen Par”, however, he took on his most complex role. It isn’t easy to embody a bold baseball teacher leading teams to victories but he succeeds. This is the actor unlike you have ever seen him before: intense, strong and emotional in his most memorable role. With riveting expressions, he captures the angst, determination and grief of a strong baseball coach raising children. It’s a bold performance from one of the most beloved actors in India today.
Finally, “Sitaare Zameen Par” would earn the appreciation of everyone for capturing individuals suffering from disorder. Unlike most Bollywood movies, it tackles strong themes that everyone would relate to. The film discusses relatable themes including disability, education and meal health which would resonate among everyone. Viewers don’t need to be familiar with Indian culture to appreciate it. Therefore, “Sitaare Zameen Par” is one of those rare Bollywood movies everyone would adore.
Fans of Aamir Khan will absolutely adore “Sitaare Zameen Par” and so will movie-goers seeking exhilarating entertainment. An engaging Bollywood disability drama, it celebrates an actor with charisma.
A powerful portrait of the hardships faced by Indian children with disability enduring adversity, it’s a riveting reminder of a bold Bollywood actor that has built an enduring legacy though his abilities to portray strong characters in unforgettable movies which audiences love dearly.
4/5 stars
The Film Buff 