Sitaare Zameen Par Movie Review; Funny, Heartwarming & Sensitive Without Being Preachy
Rating: 3.5/5
Cast: Aamir Khan, Genelia Deshmukh, Aroush Dutta, Gopi Krishnan Varma, Vedant Sharma, Naman Misra, Rishi Shahani, Rishabh Jain, Ashish Pendse, Samvit Desai, Simran Mangeshkar, Aayush Bhansali, Dolly Ahluwalia, Gurpal Singh, Brijendra Kala
Director: R. S. Prasanna
Storyline:
Gulshan (Aamir Khan) is a loud, brash basketball coach who’s always trying to act tough, mostly because he’s insecure about his short height. His personal life is a mess too. He’s estranged from his wife (Genelia D’Souza) because he doesn’t want kids.
After a drunk driving incident lands him in trouble, Gulshan is forced to do community service. His punishment? Coaching a group of players with disabilities; some have autism, some have Down Syndrome, for an upcoming basketball tournament.
At first, he’s angry, awkward, and just wants to get it over with. But as he trains them, something unexpected happens. What starts as a punishment turns into the biggest lesson of his life.
Sitaare Zameen Par Movie Review –
Sitaare Zameen Par is a heartwarming and often funny ride that stays sensitive and respectful throughout.
The film does a wonderful job balancing clean comedy with real emotion. Director R. S. Prasanna handles the subject of disability with grace and empathy. There’s no overdone melodrama here. Instead of portraying people with Autism and Down Syndrome as helpless, the film celebrates their resilience, charm and joy for life. It’s a refreshing, inclusive watch that never feels preachy.
The Sitaare basketball team is the heart and soul of the film. Gopi Krishnan Varma, Vedant Sharmaa, Naman Misra, Rishi Shahani, Rishabh Jain, Ashish Pendse, Samvit Desai, Simran Mangeshkar and Aayush Bhansali are all endearing in their roles. Their comic timing is spot on, and the humour flows easily among them. The chemistry is so natural, the film never feels awkward or forced.
Sitaare Zameen Par Movie Review –
Aamir Khan is solid as Gulshan – starts off as brash and borderline insensitive, but his transformation into an empathetic coach feels natural and well-earned. He does well especially in the emotional scenes. Aamir tends to overdo the comedy in parts (hams it up quite a bit), but his dramatic moments land with the right weight.
Genelia D’Souza is charming in her limited screen time. You wish there was more of her, but her chemistry with Aamir is pretty easy, natural and fun to watch. Dolly Ahluwalia and Brijendra Kala are delightful in their small but fun roles.
At its heart, this is a feel-good film that leaves you smiling. It makes you laugh, think and maybe even tear up a little. More importantly, it opens a window into lives we rarely see on screen… with honesty, kindness and joy. That alone makes this one worth watching.
