Aamir Khan’s ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ slammed by fans as a frame-by-frame copy of ‘Champions’

Aamir Khan is back on screen after Laal Singh Chaddha, and expectations are naturally high. His new film Sitaare Zameen Par, a follow-up to his 2007 hit Taare Zameen Par, recently dropped its trailer and got people talking. But not for the reasons the makers would’ve hoped.

At first glance, the trailer looked like a feel-good sports drama with emotional beats. Aamir plays a foul-tempered basketball coach sentenced to train a team of intellectually disabled players. Genelia Deshmukh plays a key role, and the film also introduces ten newcomers. The message is clear: inclusivity, second chances, and personal growth.

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But soon after the trailer's release, viewers began pointing out striking similarities with Champions, a 2018 Spanish sports comedy that was also adapted into an English version. In Champions, a coach is tasked with training a similar team of specially-abled players, down to the courtroom punishment and sports sequences. The film is currently available on JioCinema.

What really sparked backlash was a Reddit thread doing a shot-by-shot comparison between Sitaare Zameen Par and Champions. From the way scenes were framed to specific gags, users claimed it was almost a direct copy. Some slammed Aamir for repeating the mistake of Laal Singh Chaddha, another adaptation that failed to connect with Indian audiences. Others questioned the sport chosen for the story. “Why not cricket or hockey?” one user asked, calling basketball too niche for the Indian audience.

There were, of course, fans who defended the film. They pointed out that Sitaare Zameen Par is an official remake and argued that many Indians haven’t seen Champions, so the story will still feel fresh to them, if done well.

The film is directed by R.S. Prasanna, known for Shubh Mangal Saavdhan. The trailer suggests that the tone and mood will balance humour and emotion while challenging ideas of what ‘normal’ means in society. The cast includes fresh faces like Aroush Datta, Simran Mangeshkar, and others. Music is by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, with lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya.

Whether Sitaare Zameen Par wins over audiences or not, it’s already sparked a conversation. The film is scheduled to release on 20 June, and now all eyes are on whether Aamir’s latest gamble pays off or repeats past missteps.