Bollywood
Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par Confirmed as Official Remake of Spanish Hit Campeones
Aamir Khan’s upcoming film Sitaare Zameen Par has been making waves since its trailer dropped, with fans quickly drawing comparisons to the 2018 Spanish sports dramedy Campeones (Champions). While marketed as a spiritual sequel to Khan’s acclaimed 2007 directorial debut Taare Zameen Par, it is now confirmed that the new film is an official remake of Campeones, a fact first spotted and dissected by Reddit users.
Directed by RS Prasanna and produced by Aamir Khan Productions, Sitaare Zameen Par follows the story of a hot-headed basketball coach who is sentenced by the court to coach a team of intellectually disabled players as part of his community service — a storyline that mirrors Campeones almost frame for frame. In fact, online sleuths were quick to highlight several shot-by-shot similarities between the two trailers, including scenes where the protagonist crashes his car into a police van, and another where a basketball is accidentally hurled into a child’s face during early training sessions.
Starring Aamir Khan in the lead role, the Hindi adaptation sees Genelia D’Souza play the coach’s wife, a character that did not appear in the Spanish version. Veteran actor Dolly Ahluwalia features as the coach’s mother, one of the emotional anchors in his journey. The film is set to launch ten newcomers as the basketball players, all portraying characters with intellectual disabilities. Sitaare Zameen Par is scheduled for release in cinemas on June 20, just in time to tap into India’s summer movie season.
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While some fans online criticised Aamir Khan for producing yet another remake, citing his earlier films like Aatank Hi Aatank (a Godfather clone), Akele Hum Akele Tum (inspired by Kramer vs. Kramer), Ghulam (bearing resemblance to On the Waterfront), and Laal Singh Chaddha (adapted from Forrest Gump), others rushed to his defence.
“Official remake hai bhai, toh of course it’ll be similar. What’s the issue?” one Reddit user argued. Another added, “People in India haven’t seen Campeones. As long as the story works in our context, why complain?”
This isn’t the first time Campeones has been adapted. In 2023, it was remade in English as Champions, starring Woody Harrelson. That version retained the spirit of the original while localising it for American audiences — a path Sitaare Zameen Par appears to follow for the Indian market.
Given Aamir Khan’s history of emotionally resonant performances and socially aware cinema, expectations remain high. Whether Sitaare Zameen Par will be a heartfelt success like its predecessor or fall flat due to comparisons remains to be seen. But with a talented cast including Genelia D’Souza and a tried-and-tested storyline, the film is poised to stir conversations — and possibly emotions — when it hits theatres next month.
