Look, I have to make something clear. I'm not the target audience for Sitaare Zameen Par. I'm not big on the idea of creating a social issue or humanitarian film with a mainstream actor, who also happens to be a superstar, because most of the focus goes to this actor — whether or not it was really their true intention. I certainly believe that there exist actors or filmmakers who create the impression that they come with noble intentions but are in reality driven by self-serving interests. (The same goes for journalists or any other field.)
So, my point is that Sitaare Zameen Par isn't the kind of film that gets me super excited. However, since I was required to review the film, I went to see it with no expectation of being bowled over by it. To my relief, I discovered that it's not exactly what I'd call a groundbreaking film, but I also think its existence is not without justification.
No, it doesn't exactly have one of Aamir Khan's best performances. But here's the thing about some social issue-based films. Sometimes you need a mainstream actor, who also happens to be a superstar, to relay certain messages despite my disdain for the idea. Sitaare Zameen Par (SZP) is definitely not for those who prefer high-brow cinema. It's not for those who prefer subtlety in their cinema. It's not for those who don't want to feel manipulated by a film. But cinema is, after all, a manipulative art form. It exists to evoke certain emotions.
SZP, too, intends the same. You may dislike the way it generates those emotions. You may dislike the way Aamir Khan's eyebrows do most of the acting. (It's admittedly very distracting.) You may dislike the way he — to be more specific, his character, Gulshan — behaves as though he is inside a sitcom. You may even feel like punching Gulshan's face. But you are supposed to feel that way about his character in the beginning.
The problem is that Gulshan, his background, his marriage problems, and his "transformation" don't come across as organic. When we are introduced to his strained relationship with his wife, Suneeta (Genelia), and every interaction involving them, they don't come across as individuals who are experiencing a big problem — she wants to have a kid; he doesn't want to be a father, an understandable concern for which an explanation is provided later. But I must say this: Genelia's supremely charming presence gives the film an extra dose of energy. It's not exactly the best material for her, but she brings a level of goofiness in the third act that's much welcome.
Perhaps SZP doesn't want to be seen as an 'intellectually superior' film — or a technically superior film, for that matter. In terms of craft and storytelling approach, it's a far cry from Taare Zameen Par (2007). But SZP is not trying to be the same film. It's quite evident it was made to appeal to family audiences who want a good time. There are places where the intent is to make us sympathetic to the characters that Gulshan is assigned to train as punishment for a drunk driving case, but what's most admirable here is there's no attempt to portray them as pathetic losers. It even breaks a particular cliche we usually see in mainstream sports dramas.
Fortunately, I felt the neurodivergent characters made a stronger impact than Aamir's character. They got the better scenes, better lines... the scene-stealing moments. (One of them is a Malayali, Gopikrishnan Varma, who made his debut in the Malayalam film, Thirike, which was about the bond between a Down Syndrome-affected man and his brother.
In a country where some messages are better conveyed in a trite and artificial manner, I don't think I can be completely dismissive of the makers' storytelling approach in SZP. It's better to judge a film for what it is than what you want it to be. SZP is what I call a "greeting card" film. The kind of greeting card that opens with a cheerful tune that pleased you when you were a kid but no longer interests you because you've grown into an extremely cynical adult. SZP is a film with no pretensions despite it sometimes resembling an awareness class.
There is indeed a 'classroom' scene where Gulshan is taught about neurodivergent individuals by Gurpal Singh's character Kartar Paaji, who manages an institute for the differently-abled. At this point, you can see SZP becoming more of a didactic exercise than a movie. But it also got me thinking: How many of us have a complete understanding of people who weren't born the same we do? How many of the so-called 'normal' ones among us, who go around behaving like they are intellectually superior to not only those with cognitive impairment but also their peers, are genuinely empathetic and have a better understanding of how this world functions?
The film's title comes with the tagline, "Everyone has their own normal," a fact that's also uttered a few times by Aamir and co. Of course, it may not appeal to all kinds of audiences, but I found myself smiling and laughing occasionally. And judging by the few in my theatre who clapped for a win, cheered for a neglected character, or laughed at a clever line from a Down Syndrome-affected man, the makers may have figured out the right formula.
Film: Sitaare Zameen Par
Director: R.S. Prasanna
Cast: Aamir Khan, Genelia Deshmukh, Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishnan Varma, Vedant Sharmaa, Naman Misra
Rating: 3/5
