Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par Eyes ₹3.5 Cr Opening Day
The Bollywood star returns with a wide release and strong domestic buzz — but can sentiment carry the film across the finish line?
It’s been a minute since Aamir Khan showed up at the box office with something big. After Laal Singh Chaddha underwhelmed and quietly faded into the streaming afterlife, Sitaare Zameen Par arrives as his second act — a comeback, of sorts, minus the drama of actually calling it one.
And if early buzz is anything to go by, the movie might just pull off a decent opening, thanks to Khan’s legacy, solid screen planning, and the ever-reliable Indian family audience. That said, we’re not talking Pathaan-style mania here. It’s more of a “slow cooker” than a sizzle reel.
2 Hours, 35 Minutes of Emotion-First Filmmaking
Let’s start with the basics: Sitaare Zameen Par clocks in at 155 minutes and has a U/A certification, which is CBFC speak for “bring your tweens, but maybe prep them emotionally.” It’s long, but that’s par for the course with Khan — the man’s brand is basically emotion with elbow room.
Think less Marvel-pacing, more Sunday-evening DD National with better lighting and background score.
Nationwide Rollout, Old-School Strategy
The film is going out wide — over 6,000 screens/shows across India. That’s a hefty release for a drama-driven title, and the exhibitors are being told to go full tilt.
According to NewsBytes, single screens are running it all day. Two-screen setups? Eight shows a day. Multiplexes? Depending on the size, they’re squeezing in 11 to 19 shows. It’s a classic wide-net release — and a bit of a gamble in today’s unpredictable post-pandemic market.
Basically, if you live near a cinema, Sitaare is going to find you.
Advance Bookings: Not Bad, Not Blazing
Pre-release ticketing has been respectable — if not electric. So far, around 38,000 to 41,000 tickets have been snapped up across Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu versions. That’s across platforms, and across the country.
The raw advance revenue, minus those pesky blocked seats (corporate holds, internal bookings, etc.), sits around ₹1 to ₹1.38 crore. With blocks added in, the number jumps to around ₹3.6 crore, depending on which trade analyst you ask. But even conservative estimates like Indian Express peg it at a minimum of ₹2 crore, which still puts it in the “we’re off the runway” territory.
It’s not Jawan-level frenzy, but it’s got enough fire to keep Friday interesting.
The Day 1 Gameplan: All Eyes on Walk-Ins
So what’s opening day looking like? Most projections hover around a ₹3.5–4 crore gross, or roughly ₹2.5–3 crore net. That’s solid — especially for a film that’s selling emotion over explosions.
The X-factor? Evening walk-ins and word of mouth. If city audiences vibe with the film — especially Gen X and family groups — it could pick up real momentum over the weekend.
Internationally though, it’s a little quiet. Pre-sales overseas are reportedly sluggish, and while Aamir still commands deep respect in places like the UAE and Canada, the early numbers aren’t screaming global sensation. As Times of India noted, it’s going to need some strong domestic chatter to break out abroad.
What’s the Vibe Online?
Fan chatter is mixed but hopeful. Over on Reddit, Bollywood junkies are hedging their bets. One comment reads, “If it’s good, 150–180 crore. If it’s bad—wraps up under 50.” Another adds, “7–9 crore opening would be ideal.”
So far, it’s tracking toward the lower end of that range. But again, this is Aamir Khan we’re talking about — and he’s pulled slower burns into gold before (Taare Zameen Par was no sprint either).
So, Is This the Real Comeback?
That’s the million-rupee question. Sitaare Zameen Par isn’t trying to go toe-to-toe with big-budget spectacles. It’s banking on nostalgia, heart, and Khan’s knack for finding emotional resonance in simple storytelling.
There’s no “Khan vs Khan” gimmick here, no dance floors on fire. Just a straightforward pitch: bring tissues, bring your folks, and maybe bring a little patience.
If Sitaare works, it’ll prove that sentiment still sells — even in a market drunk on swagger and VFX. If it doesn’t, well… the next Khan reunion will probably involve a bit more pyrotechnics.
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