Happy Friday, guys!
The weekend is near, the group chats are buzzing with plans, and Bollywood is doing what it does best - stirring up a fresh pot of controversy. This time, it’s Aamir Khan and his upcoming film ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ taking center stage.
And, no. We are not talking about the ‘Champions’ remake drama. This is something completely different.
The trailer for the film dropped on May 13, and while many expected applause for Aamir’s return after a long break, what followed was a mix of confusion, criticism, and a good dose of internet cynicism.
Let’s break it down…
📌 So, what happened?
Sitaare Zameen Par is a remake of the Spanish film ‘Campeones.’
The film stars Aamir Khan as a disgraced basketball coach who finds redemption by training a team of intellectually disabled players.
Genelia Deshmukh plays the female lead. On paper, it’s a classic underdog story with heartwarming potential, and possibly a shot at reviving Aamir’s box office credibility after the Laal Singh Chaddha debacle.
But before fans could get emotional over the trailer, something else caught their eye.
Just hours before the trailer release, Aamir Khan Productions posted a tribute to the Indian Armed Forces for Operation Sindoor.
For context, Operation Sindoor was a precision strike carried out by the Indian military on May 7, targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
The operation was a significant event, and Bollywood, as expected, responded with words of support.
But Aamir’s team posting about it six days later, right before the film promo, set off alarms for many.
The post read:
“Salute to the heroes of Operation Sindoor. Heartfelt gratitude to our armed forces for their courage, bravery, and unwavering commitment to the security of our nation. Thank you to the Honourable Prime Minister for his leadership and determination. Jai Hind.”
While patriotic on the surface, the timing of the message led many to accuse Aamir of leveraging nationalism for promotional gain.
“Sorry dude, you're just 5 days late… you can keep this post with you,” one user commented.
Another wrote, “Nationalism isn’t a PR tool. This isn’t patriotism: it’s PR damage control.”
And of course, some couldn’t resist dragging Laal Singh Chaddha back into the conversation, suggesting that Aamir is trying to get ahead of any potential backlash this time.
But not everyone joined the pile-on.
A few users pointed out that Aamir isn’t personally active on social media and that his production company had also acknowledged other recent events, such as the Pahalgam incident.
“I’m not saying he’s apolitical, but let’s not jump to conclusions,” one comment said.
Still, the skepticism remains.
Was the Operation Sindoor post a genuine expression of support, or a calculated move to soften criticism before a major release?
Sitaare Zameen Par hits theatres on June 20. Between its feel-good premise and the growing conversation around its promotional tactics, the film already has all eyes on it.
So what’s next? A hit? A flop? Or just another storm that passes?
Whatever the case, take a deep breath. Remember, it’s only Bollywood. There’ll be another plot twist tomorrow.
So, that’s it for today. If you enjoyed this edition, subscribe to hear from us every day!
See ya 👋