Aamir Khan plays Gulshan, a rude and arrogant basketball coach who is suspended after a drunk driving incident. As punishment, he’s sent for community service — to train a group of young adults, most of whom have Down Syndrome, for a basketball tournament.
At first, Gulshan sees the task as a burden. He doesn’t want kids, frustrates his wife Sunita (played by Genelia D’Souza), and refuses to follow rules at work. But his time at the vocational center slowly transforms him. He begins to care about the players: Satbir, Guddu, Bantu, Lotus, Golu and others — all portrayed as vibrant individuals with their own quirks and strengths, not just as people with disabilities.
Based on the 2018 Spanish film Campeones, Sitaare Zameen Par keeps a cheerful, feel-good tone. The film’s heart lies in how these kids influence Gulshan more than he changes them. Aamir’s performance as a flawed man who learns and grows is what really anchors the film. It’s a return to form after Laal Singh Chaddha, and fits well among his other roles like Dil Chahta Hai.
