Javed Akhtar celebrates rise in Sitaare Zameen Par collections, calls it victory for good cinema

Veteran writer and lyricist Javed Akhtar has shared his appreciation for Aamir Khan’s latest film Sitaare Zameen Par, following its notable Day 2 growth at the box office. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Akhtar praised the audience’s support for quality cinema, writing, “Who says good films have no takers in the audience? Congratulations to Aamir Khan and his team.”

The film, which released on 20 June 2025, had a decent start with ?10.7 crore on its opening day. However, it was Day 2 that surprised many. According to early trade reports, Sitaare Zameen Par earned ?19.72 crore on Saturday, pushing its two-day total to ?30.42 crore. The sudden spike has been welcomed by industry insiders and fans alike.

Akhtar posted his message on June 22, noting his joy at seeing a "record leap" in the film’s collection. His words reflect a wider sentiment among cinephiles that well-made, emotional stories still have an audience willing to show up in theatres.

Directed by R.S. Prasanna, Sitaare Zameen Par stars Aamir Khan and Genelia Deshmukh, with several newcomers making their Hindi film debut. The film mixes sports, humour, and emotional drama, and is said to be a spiritual successor to Aamir’s 2007 film Taare Zameen Par. Comparisons have already begun. Aamir’s last theatrical release, Laal Singh Chaddha, had collected ?18.96 crore in its first two days. By contrast, Sitaare Zameen Par has already surpassed that, though it still lags slightly behind Sky Force starring Akshay Kumar, which has earned ?34.25 crore in the same time. However, it has outperformed Kesari Chapter 2, which stands at ?17.5 crore over two days.

Produced by Aamir Khan and Aparna Purohit, the film also features Dolly Ahluwalia, Gurpal Singh, Brijendra Kala, and Ankita Sehgal in supporting roles. The new faces — including Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishna Varma, and Samvit Desai — bring freshness to the story. With strong word-of-mouth and growing collections, the weekend ahead will be crucial. But for now, Javed Akhtar’s words capture the mood — audiences do value good films.