Aamir Khan’s latest film, Sitaare Zameen Par, defied early expectations and is now recording a remarkable box office turnaround. Despite a lukewarm response during bookings and a modest opening day collection of ₹10.70 crore (approximately £1 million), the film has seen a historic jump in collections on Saturday. This has prompted several multiplexes in Mumbai and other key markets to add post-midnight screenings to accommodate the growing demand.
In an unusual move, the makers had decided not to schedule any shows before 11 am on the day of release, possibly to avoid drawing attention to potentially empty theatres. Though the film’s initial figures were considered underwhelming for a star of Aamir Khan’s calibre, the actor’s longstanding credibility and the film’s positive word-of-mouth have started paying off.
Saturday saw a dramatic rise in footfall, with many shows running to full houses. This surge has led theatres to introduce late-night shows at 1 am, 2 am and even as late as 3 am and 6 am to meet audience demand. This trend, first seen with the release of Sooryavanshi during Diwali 2021, has since been associated with films that experience extraordinary popularity, such as Gangubai Kathiawadi, Drishyam 2, Pathaan, Gadar 2, Jawan, Animal, Stree 2 and Chhaava.
The film is projected to earn approximately ₹20 crore (around £1.5 million) on its second day and is heading towards a solid opening weekend figure of ₹50 crore (roughly £4.75 million). Bookings for Sunday indicate that the upward trend is likely to continue. Industry analysts also predict a strong hold on Monday, often considered a test for a film’s long-term viability.
Interestingly, while Sitaare Zameen Par initially appealed mainly to audiences in premium urban centres and A-grade cinemas, it has now begun drawing significant footfall from mass circuits as well. This expansion across audience segments bodes well for the film’s longevity at the box office and strengthens expectations of a healthy lifetime run.
