‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ big win for Aamir Khan: trade experts as film performs well in opening weekend

Mumbai: Superstar Aamir Khan seems to have broken his box office drought with his latest movie "Sitaare Zameen" amassing Rs 57.6 crore at the ticket window in just three days of its release, say trade experts.

The film, a follow-up to Aamir’s 2007 critically-acclaimed movie “Taare Zameen Par”, released in theatres on June 20 and raked in Rs. 10.7 crore on day one, followed by Rs 19.90 crores on day two and Rs. 26.80 crores on day three, according to the makers.

The film's performance at the box office is definitely a big win for Aamir, whose last two releases -- "Thugs of Hindostan" (2018) and "Laal Singh Chaddha" (2022) -- failed to bring audiences to theatres.

"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,” Kamal Gianchandani, chief of Business Planning & Strategy at PVR INOX Ltd and also the CEO of PVR INOX Pictures Ltd, told PTI.

PVR INOX Pictures is the official distributor of "Sitaare Zameen Par", which is adapted from the acclaimed Spanish movie of the same title.

Gianchandani, who is also the president of the Multiplex Association of India (MAI), said the movie also shatters the myth that only spectacle cinema is working in theatres.

"The numbers are absolutely shattering this myth which we have long believed. It wasn't correct. The numbers are validating the fact that audiences want to come out and watch good films in the theatres irrespective of the size and scale of a film," he said.

"It will inspire a lot of producers and directors to come out with the stories that are rooted in Indian ethos, which are sensitive stories of Indian characters," he added.

Devang Sampat, CEO of Cinepolis, said the film continues to perform well in theatres.

"'Sitaare Zameen Par' had a powerful opening on Friday however by Sunday, admissions had nearly tripled, underscoring the audience’s overwhelming enthusiasm.

"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," he said in a statement.

Trade expert Komal Nahta described the film's box office outcome as “terrific”.

“The film is doing fantastic business, what a growth over the weekend, it is unimaginable. It has been almost a 150 per cent jump from the day it was released to now. The film was carrying low buzz before the release, and see how the audience has taken it forward,” Adarsh told PTI.

Distributor-exhibitor Akshay Rathi, who owns theatres in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, said “Sitaare Zameen Par” has done a “decent” business in urban India but “not that great”.

“The film has risen like a phoenix from day one to three. Post the pandemic, massy big films like ‘Pathaan’, ‘Jawan’, ‘Animal’, and ‘Gadar’ 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 Rs. 200 crores," he told PTI.

At the same time, experts expressed concerns about its performance in single-screen theatres.

Trade analyst Girish Wankhede said that despite a noticeable uptick in business, the numbers remain below the expected mark for an Aamir Khan-led movie.

“I believe stars should make films that reach a wide audience, but this has had a limited release. The single-screen theatres face losses in such a scenario, and the industry does not benefit much from this. The real test of the film is on weekdays,” Wankhede told PTI.

Nitin Datar, President of the Cinema Owners and Exhibitors Association, India (COEAI), said the box office collection of "Sitaare Zameen Par" was driven by good word-of-mouth.

In addition to Aamir, the movie stars Genelia Deshmukh and ten newcomers, including 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 directed by RS Prasanna and produced by Aamir's banner Aamir Khan Productions.