Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par Revives Urban Multiplex Magic: Trade Calls It A ‘Massive Win’
Sitaare Zameen Par is following a familiar pattern seen in many Aamir Khan films — a modest start that gains momentum through strong word of mouth. Despite an underwhelming opening day collection of ₹10.70 crore, the film saw a remarkable turnaround, crossing ₹60 crore by its third day.
Even with the usual Monday dip, the film has gathered enough traction and positive buzz to secure a solid lifetime run. Trade analysts hail it as a revival of ‘urban multiplex films’ and a much-needed ‘massive win’ for its lead star and producer, Aamir Khan.
A Strong Box Office Comeback for Aamir Khan
Domestically, Sitaare Zameen Par has raked in ₹66.50 crore in its first four days, while its worldwide opening weekend stood at an impressive ₹96 crore. For Aamir Khan, this marks a long-awaited box office resurgence — his last major success was back in 2016. Since then, films like Thugs of Hindostan (2018) and Laal Singh Chaddha (2022) struggled to draw audiences to theatres.
‘Massive Win for Aamir Khan’
Industry experts see the film’s performance as a major comeback for the superstar.
"It's a massive win for Aamir Khan. He took a bold decision, and audiences have respected his sincerity. It's a little gem, the film is wonderful, it has fun and entertainment, but it also carries a strong social message. The film will be in theatres for a long time," said Kamal Gianchandani, Chief of Business Planning & Strategy at PVR INOX Ltd and CEO of PVR INOX Pictures Ltd, the official distributor of Sitaare Zameen Par, which is an adaptation of the acclaimed Spanish film Campeones, told The Hindustan Times.
'Sitaare Zameen Par' Collections Maintain Strong Momentum
According to trade insiders, the film’s positive word of mouth has ensured steady footfalls even on weekdays, with Monday’s attendance likely to surpass Friday’s — a rare feat in the industry.
"Even more impressive is that weekday box-office numbers are trailing the weekend by only a small margin, and we expect Monday footfalls to surpass Friday’s. This rare trajectory in the film industry doesn’t just point to commercial success—it reveals a deep, sustained emotional resonance with viewers, propelling the film into truly uncharted territory," Devang Sampat, CEO of Cinepolis, stated.
Revival of Urban Multiplex Films
Distributor and exhibitor Akshay Rathi highlighted that the film’s strong showing marks a revival for the urban multiplex segment.
"The film has risen like a phoenix from day one to three. Post the pandemic, massy big films like Pathaan, Jawan, Animal, and Gadar 2 worked, and everyone wrote off urban multiplex films, but Sitaare Zameen Par marks the return of urban multiplex hits. The core business of the movie is from urban and multiplex audiences. This film is here for the long run, and its lifetime business should be ₹200 crores," he told PTI.
Many in the industry believe the film’s steady growth, despite low initial buzz, points to a long and healthy theatrical run.
About Sitaare Zameen Par
Directed by RS Prasanna, Sitaare Zameen Par features Aamir Khan as a hot-headed basketball coach who, after a drunk-driving incident, is court-ordered to train a team of intellectually disabled players.
The inspiring sports drama also stars Genelia Deshmukh alongside ten newcomers — Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishna Varma, Samvit Desai, Vedant Sharma, Ayush Bhansali, Ashish Pendse, Rishi Shahani, Rishabh Jain, Naman Mishra, and Simran Mangeshkar — all of whom are specially-abled. The film is produced under Aamir Khan Productions.
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