"Sitaare Zameen Par" Opens Modestly, Aamir Khan Starrer Aims for Weekend Boost

 June 20, 2025 – Aamir Khan's highly anticipated return to the big screen, "Sitaare Zameen Par," has opened to a "decent" but not spectacular start at the box office on its opening day, Friday, June 20th, crossing the ₹8 crore mark. While early estimates from industry trackers and trade analysts are still being finalized, hopes remain high for the film to pick up momentum over the weekend and potentially achieve a double-digit collection.

The film, which is being touted as a spiritual sequel to Aamir Khan's 2007 hit "Taare Zameen Par," opened to a mixed but generally positive reception from critics and audiences. Early reports indicate that the movie earned an estimated ₹8.87 crore (by 8 PM) on its first day, according to reports from Hindustan Times. Other reports from Mint suggested a figure of ₹4.76 crore as of early evening, while The Times of India reported ₹3.89 crore till Friday afternoon, with predictions for the full day ranging between ₹7.5 to ₹8 crore.

The overall Hindi occupancy for "Sitaare Zameen Par" on Friday was around 17.73%. Morning shows saw an occupancy of 16.74%, remaining similar for afternoon shows at 16.25%, and showing a slight increase in evening shows at 20.21%. Industry experts note that the film's initial advance booking numbers were not as strong as expected for an Aamir Khan film, suggesting it will heavily rely on positive word-of-mouth to grow.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh, as quoted by The Times of India and Livemint, stated, "This is a word of mouth film. This is not a Dhoom or 'Ghajini' that will open with a bang. Now, as I said, it all depends on the public reports. I think Rs 7.5 to 8 crore is what we are looking at." Film trade expert Girish Wankhede, also speaking to ETimes, predicted the film would not cross ₹30-35 crore over the entire weekend, emphasizing its reliance on audience reception.

Despite the relatively modest opening compared to Aamir Khan's previous blockbusters, the film has garnered encouraging reviews, with many praising its emotional depth and the performances of its cast, especially the new actors. Hindustan Times described it as a "heartfelt product, meant to be experienced in a packed theatre," while The Indian Express noted Aamir Khan's "fully committed performance in heart-winning comedy." NDTV's review called it an "uplifting film" with its "heart in the right place."

"Sitaare Zameen Par" is directed by RS Prasanna and features Genelia Deshmukh alongside Aamir Khan, and introduces ten new actors. It is an official remake of the 2018 Spanish film "Campeones" (Champions).

The film's performance over the weekend will be crucial in determining its overall box office trajectory, as it faces competition from other releases, including Akshay Kumar's "Housefull 5."