After delivering a dud with Laal Singh Chaddha in 2022, Aamir Khan returns to the big screen with Sitaare Zameen Par - an official remake of the 2018 Spanish hit Campeones (which was also remade by Hollywood in 2023 as Champions). Directed by RS Prasanna (Shubh Mangal Saavdhan), Sitaare Zameen Par features Aamir not only as the lead actor but also as producer, with Genelia Deshmukh playing the female lead. ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ Trailer: ‘Lekin Aadmi Suar Ho!’ Did Aamir Khan’s Movie Use Infamous Abhijeet Bhattacharya Troll Comment As Dialogue? Internet Reacts!

Sitaare Zameen Par centres on a disgraced and disillusioned basketball coach who is ordered by the court to train a team of intellectually disabled players as part of his community service sentence. The film is set for a worldwide release on June 20, 2025, and - as is often the case with Aamir Khan - he’s deploying some unconventional strategies for its launch.

A Unique Release Strategy for 'Sitaare Zameen Par'

To begin with, Sitaare Zameen Par will be a strictly theatrical experience - Aamir has chosen not to finalise any OTT deals for a digital release in the near future. More intriguingly, the film is opening with reduced shows on its release day.

A glance at BookMyShow listings for the first Friday reveals that most screenings won’t begin before 11 am. This reduction in show count is applicable only for the release day; from Saturday onwards, morning shows will be added, returning to a normal schedule.

Watch the Trailer of 'Sitaare Zameen Par':

According to a report in Bollywood Hungama, a revised email from the film’s distribution team was sent to theatres on June 18, instructing them not to screen the film before 11 am on the release day. Theatres may show a maximum of four screenings between 11 am and 6 pm. After 6 pm, however, they are free to schedule as many shows as they like.

Why This Strategy Makes Sense for Aamir Khan's Comeback

Aamir Khan is one of Indian cinema’s biggest stars, and Sitaare Zameen Par marks his big-screen comeback after three years after the failure of his last film (Laal Singh Chaddha). However, his comeback is different from that of his peer Shah Rukh Khan, who bounced back from Zero with the mass entertainer Pathaan, which became a blockbuster. Shah Rukh Khan Visits ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ Set After Aamir Khan’s Persistent Invites, Surprises Debutant Cast With Heartfelt Interactions (Watch Video).

In contrast, Sitaare Zameen Par isn’t cut from the same commercial cloth. If well-received, it’s the kind of film that needs time and space to grow, thanks to its more sensitive and niche theme. It’s less in the vein of Aamir’s crowd-pulling blockbusters like Ghajini, 3 Idiots, PK, Dhoom 3, and Thugs of Hindostan, and more in the space of his thoughtful, content-driven outings such as Dhobi Ghat, Taare Zameen Par, and Secret Superstar.

Expecting massive crowds for morning shows on a working Friday - particularly during the onset of monsoon across many parts of India - for such a film is unrealistic. Aamir may also be trying to avoid the poor optics of empty theatres during early shows, which his critics could seize upon to prematurely declare the film a flop.

By reducing the number of shows on the first day, the hope is likely to concentrate audiences into fewer screenings, creating a buzz of fuller shows by afternoon. If the reviews and word-of-mouth are positive, Sitaare Zameen Par might then build momentum across the weekend, especially among family audiences and those unfamiliar with the original Spanish or Hollywood versions. ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’: Hollywood Movie ‘Champions’ Removed From JioHotstar Ahead of Aamir Khan’s Remake Release in Theatres.

Of course, this approach does carry the risk of a diminished opening-day box office figure - something Aamir appears willing to gamble on. Whether this strategy pays off or backfires will be revealed once the opening weekend performance comes into view.

Top Five Aamir Khan First-Day Collections (India)

1. Thugs of Hindostan (2018) – INR 52.25 crore

2. Dhoom 3 (2013) – INR 36.22 crore

3. Dangal (2016) – INR 29.78 crore

4. PK (2014) – INR 26.63 crore

5. Talaash (2012) – INR 13.50 crore

But perhaps more critical than how much Sitaare Zameen Par earns on Day 1 is whether it can escape what now feels like a 'remake curse.' Since cinemas reopened post-pandemic, Bollywood has struggled to find success with remakes. ‘Loveyapa’ Box Office Verdict – Hit or Flop: After Shahid Kapoor’s ‘Deva’, Has Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor’s Romcom Fallen Victim To ‘Remake Curse’?

Aamir himself suffered with the failure of Laal Singh Chaddha, the Indian take on Forrest Gump. His son Junaid Khan's first theatrical release, Loveyapa (a remake of Tamil hit Love Today), was a non-starter at the box office. The only major exception has been Ajay Devgn, who scored hits with Drishyam 2 and Shaitaan.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 19, 2025 03:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).