Aamir Khan’s latest film Sitaare Zameen Par, a spiritual sequel to his acclaimed 2007 film Taare Zameen Par, is drawing heavy criticism online following the release of its trailer.
What began as an eagerly awaited comeback for Khan after the underwhelming performance of Laal Singh Chaddha has now turned into a controversy, with many accusing the film of being a frame-by-frame copy of the 2023 Hollywood movie Champions.
Directed by R.S. Prasanna, the film introduces 10 newcomers and features Genelia Deshmukh in a pivotal role. Khan plays a grumpy basketball coach tasked with mentoring a team of players with intellectual disabilities, setting the stage for an uplifting sports drama.
However, internet users were quick to point out striking similarities between Sitaare Zameen Par and Champions, an English-language remake of the Spanish hit Campeones.
The plot of Champions, which is available on JioCinema, centers on a disgraced coach whose life is transformed when he begins training a team of intellectually challenged athletes — a narrative that mirrors the premise revealed in Sitaare Zameen Par's trailer.
Reddit users have compiled side-by-side comparisons of scenes from both films, with many alleging that Khan’s film replicates not just the storyline but specific visual sequences from Champions.
One Reddit comment stated, “After the Forrest Gump fiasco, he should have stayed away from remakes or adaptations,” referencing the criticism Khan faced for Laal Singh Chaddha, which was based on the American classic Forrest Gump.
Some sarcastically called Khan a “perfectionist in copying the film frame by frame.”