Sitaare Zameen Par box office prediction: Will Aamir Khan be back to rule?

India Today

5 hours ago

Aamir Khan is all set to return to the big screen after three years with 'Sitaare Zameen Par'. Positioned as a spiritual sequel to his critically acclaimed 'Taare Zameen Par' (2007), the film comes at a crucial point in his career. After the underwhelming performances of 'Laal Singh Chaddha' (2022) which collected Rs133.5 crore net worldwide, and 'Thugs of Hindostan' (2018), which earned Rs151.3 crore net worldwide, the project could mark a much-needed resurgence for the actor.advertisementWith only two days left for its release, IndiaToday.in spoke exclusively to trade experts Taran Adarsh and Ramesh Bala about 'Sitaare Zameen Par's opening weekend expectations, the buzz around the film, and whether it could mark Khan's big box office comeback.Trade expert Ramesh Bala believes that the film will have a promising start. With so much riding on Khan's shoulders, including his own box office revival, things look hopeful, he said. "For the opening weekend, I am expecting about Rs 40-50 crore." He went on to talk about the value that 'Sitaare Zameen Par' brings to Khan's body of work.
"It's very important for Aamir Khan because he hasn't had box office success in a long time. This movie should do well for him to regain his old glory. Since 'Taare Zameen Par' which collected Rs 98.50 crore gross worldwide, did well a long time ago... the story is somewhat similar. Hopefully, he can bounce back with 'Sitaare Zameen Par'. It is very crucial for him to get back to the box office."advertisementTrade analyst Taran Adarsh gave a slightly more conservative prediction. He said, "The box office run (of Aamir Khan) currently depends on word-of-mouth. Since the promotion for the film is very light, now the film's success depends only on Aamir Khan's face-value. For the opening weekend, it could be around Rs 30 crore."The trade expert drew a parallel between the comeback movies of the Khans, and how they performed at the box office. He shared that Shah Rukh Khan is the only actor from the league of the coveted Bollywood superstars, who has managed to make a solid comeback at the ticket window. Aamir, with the failure of 'Laal Singh Chaddha', is even behind Salman Khan, who recently had a box office dud in 'Sikandar'."Considering his last films - 'Laal Singh Chaddha' and 'Thugs of Hindostan' - 'Sitaare Zameen Par' will have to get considerable numbers. For instance, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman, and Aamir - all three of them came to the big screen after a long halt. But only SRK's comeback films like 'Jawan' which collected Rs 1160 crore net worldwide and 'Pathaan' earned Rs 1055 crore net worldwide did really well at the box office. Salman's 'Sikandar' was a huge disaster," he explained.advertisementHe continued, "Since it's a sequel to 'Taare Zameen Par', and the 2007 film did really well in its time, I hope 'Sitaare Zameen Par' works well for Aamir. While the film's numbers won't go beyond 'Taare Zameen Par', it should at least touch a success limit unlike his recent movies."Bala further underscored the importance of word-of-mouth wonder for 'Sitaare Zameen Par'. The trade analyst didn't agree with Adarsh on the film's promotion aspect. Highlighting that the film "is promoted well," he said, "the teaser and trailer did well. He (Aamir) is also giving a lot of interviews, so there is a lot of buzz around the movie. At least for the multiplex audience, the class audience who are looking for it. Hopefully it should do well. And based on word-of-mouth, it can pick up further. For this kind of movie, he is doing the right promotions."Both experts were also asked about whether the inclusion of debutant actors, many of whom are specially-abled, would be an advantage to the film. Bala shared, "No, newcomers are more neutral. The movie is going to depend on Aamir Khan's name and fame. The movie is already in talks. These debutants are specially-abled, playing basketball. So, this kind of story should resonate well with people. It will be a heartwarming movie. Hopefully, if he gets the formula right, it should do well. Newcomers as such are not making an impact. Anyway, it's mostly on Aamir Khan."advertisementAdarsh added, "With debutants who are specially-abled, Aamir Khan can have the emotional and heartwarming appeal to draw audiences to this film. But again, that depends on Aamir Khan's fame, which he recently didn't prove well with his recent films. Being empathetic to drawing audiences is not the only way to make a hit at the box office. It also depends on the story, the acting, and mostly the execution of the film."With all eyes on Aamir Khan, 'Sitaare Zameen Par' is carrying huge expectations. Will it break box office records and become the biggest comeback of Khan's career? Let's wait and watch!Must Watch
IN THIS STORY#Aamir Khan