'Sitaare Zameen Par' review: Aamir's comedy-drama is heartfelt, engaging, important
What's the story
Nearly three years after the surprising debacle of Laal Singh Chaddha, Aamir Khan has returned to the silver screen with Sitaare Zameen Par.
Warm, funny, well-intentioned, and heartfelt, it marks a tremendous return to form for Khan.
He may have had a few misses with films like LSC and Thugs of Hindostan, but SZP proves that Khan's cinema continues to be inclusive and hopeful.
Plot
Focuses on a rude coach and team of intellectually-challenged players
The film is a remake of the Spanish movie Campeones.
Khan plays Gulshan, a basketball coach who is ordered by the court to train a group of neurodivergent people for three months after a DUI case.
Gulshan is haughty, arrogant, initially calls his team "pagal," and wants nothing to do with the team.
However, as he spends time with them, his opinion shifts significantly.
#1
The players teach Gulshan incredible life lessons
SZP is a spiritual sequel to Taare Zameen Par, and it's interesting how Khan undergoes a role reversal here; he was a mentor in TZP, but here, his team coaches him on life.
While the film is a coming-of-age journey for Gulshan, it also feels the same for Khan.
Moreover, the movie's comedy takes you by surprise, and the newcomers are a complete revelation.
#2
Everyone receives ample space to shine
Another thing SZP does rather brilliantly is how it ensures that the narrative remains overarching and is never overshadowed or burdened under the weight of Khan's superstardom.
Khan takes several jokes on himself, is a treat to watch in every scene, and allows ample space for other characters to shine.
The movie fits right into his inimitable filmography that finds few parallels in Bollywood.
#3
It is consistently engaging, the lengthy runtime doesn't harm it
The kind of freshness, exuberance, and spunk found in Rajkumar Hirani and Advait Chandan's cinema is aplenty here, though the film could have done with more well-rounded, supporting characters.
Additionally, it boasts several heartfelt and thought-provoking dialogues that are instant tear-jerkers and tug at your heartstrings.
The film constantly reiterates how a little kindness and appreciation can go a remarkably long way in life.
#4
About the movie's memorable, uplifting dialogues
At one point, a character tells Gulshan, "Agar ek bhi chromosome idhar se udhar hota, to aaj hum bhi in jaise hi hote," hoping to transform his perspective.
In another scene, Preeto, Gulshan's mother, chides him when he calls the players "mental" and "pagal."
"Tujhe kisi ko kuch kehne ki zarurat nahi," she says, and that encapsulates the film's message of inclusion.
#5
Negatives: Where does the film falter?
However, SZP stops short of being a modern-day classic, and nearly all of its flaws rear their head post-intermission.
After the interval, the movie begins to drag needlessly (it is over 150 minutes long), there are unnecessary sequences crammed awkwardly, and the film could have been a lot sharper.
Also, Genelia Deshmukh, who plays Khan's wife, is underutilized and nearly non-existent before the interval.
#6
Feels overcooked at times
A sub-plot surrounding Preeto does not fit into the movie at all, and exposes director RS Prasanna's ambition to deliver multiple social messages at once.
In such scenes, the screenplay feels bloated, and the narrative feels repetitive and weary.
Another gripe I have with the project is how easily Gulshan's team sweeps matches: predictability mars entertainment, and how!
Verdict
An uplifting, emotionally resonant, important film
SZP isn't perfect, subtlety is not always its strongest suit, and it dips whenever it ventures into the preachy territory.
However, these problems don't take away from the movie's overall impact.
It's the kind of film where you want to sit in silence for a few minutes after the credits roll.
Perhaps it's the shining cinematic star we all need right now.
3.5/5 stars.