'I am not a practical person': Why Aamir Khan made 'Sitaare Zameen Par'

Khaleej Times

12 hours ago

Aamir Khan doesn't strike you as someone who wears nostalgia on his sleeve—but when he starts talking about his childhood, you sense how deeply it shaped him.
'I used to sit in the room while writers pitched stories to my father,' he tells me over Zoom. 'I was five or six. I didn't realise it then, but I was being trained in storytelling.'
It feels poetic, then, that decades later, storytelling still forms the core of his universe. With Sitaare Zameen Par, his first release since Laal Singh Chaddha, Khan makes a quietly powerful return—not with a star-studded spectacle or an action-heavy box office play, but with a feel-good film about ten neurodivergent children and the grumpy coach they end up transforming.
The film is set to release on June 20 in the UAE, and it's considered a "spiritual sequel" to Taare Zameen Par, but Khan suggests one key distinction. 'That film was about the teacher helping the child. This one? It's the children who help the coach.'
He plays a basketball coach who is made to do community service by training Neurodivergent adults after a DUI.
When asked why this story, and why now, Khan doesn't hesitate. 'It made me feel happy. And it changed something in me. It altered how I see neurodivergence. That's what drew me in.'
It wasn't the practical choice. In fact, the actor admits that after Laal Singh Chaddha didn't perform well, many around him suggested a safer, more 'theatrical' return. 'They said I should do an action film—those are doing well post-Covid. But I'm not a practical person,' he laughs. 'This script had entered my bloodstream. And once that happens, I can't do anything else until I've let it out.'
That 'letting out' has resulted in a comedy that, while light in its tone, carries a significant emotional heft. 'It's a film that makes you laugh—and then, I hope, it touches something deeper.'
Inclusion begins with childhood
At the heart of Sitaare Zameen Par is a call for inclusion—not just on screen, but in society.
'It's sad that neurodivergent children are often segregated from an early age,' Khan says. 'They're sent to special schools, grow up among themselves, and are kept apart from what we call 'mainstream' life. But that's a loss—for them, and for us. Neurotypical kids miss out on learning empathy, joy, and acceptance. And neurodivergent kids miss out on friendships and opportunities. Inclusion should start in schools.'
His voice grows more impassioned as he continues: 'I recommend to every parent—choose a school where your child grows up with children who are different. That's how you raise rounded adults. That's my dream.'
To bring that dream to life, the film cast ten neurodivergent actors—nine of whom were facing the camera for the first time. And for Khan, it was one of the most enriching experiences of his career.
'We followed the same process we do for any film—screen tests, rehearsals, workshops. But the energy they brought to set? That was something else. They were positive, enthusiastic, ego-free—and that energy infected all of us.'
What surprised him most was how seamlessly the actors adapted to the rigorous demands of a film shoot. 'There was no delay, no special treatment needed. In fact, their professionalism and authenticity made all of us better. One of the actors, Gopi, didn't even speak Hindi—he's from Kerala. Yet he pulled it off beautifully.'
Playing the opposite
Khan's own character, Gulshan, is nothing like him. 'He's rude, self-centred, politically incorrect. A bull in a china shop,' Khan says. 'I was raised to be polite, respectful. So this role gave me the chance to say and do all the things I'd never do in real life. It was entertaining.'
Though he's often associated with meaningful cinema, Khan insists he doesn't chase 'message movies.'
'Have you seen Delhi Belly?' he laughs. 'No message there! I like all kinds of stories. But when a script is both powerful and socially relevant, that's when I get really excited.'
And what genre hasn't he explored yet? 'Horror,' he says. 'I get really scared. I've never been able to finish one.'
Khan also credits director RS Prasanna for anchoring the film with the right tone. 'He's sensitive, non-judgmental, and most importantly, he waits for the right story. Shubh Mangal Saavdhan was a hit, but he didn't rush into another film. So he has the patience to wait for material that excites him and that's a remarkable quality.'
He also acknowledged the director's ability to guide the debut actors.
When asked what he might have done if not for films, Khan says, 'Maybe a sports coach. Or a teacher. People say I explain things well. But honestly? I can't imagine being anywhere else. I grew up in stories. They're my home.'
For now, Sitaare Zameen Par feels like the kind of film that reminds you why we fell in love with Aamir Khan in the first place—not just as an actor, but as someone with a knack for storytelling.
He ends our call the way he began—with a quiet, sincere hope. 'I believe in the magic of cinema and I believe in my audiences.'
After several decades in the industry, he still wants to make us feel something. And honestly, that should be enough.