Fans defend Aamir as boycott calls grow for ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’

Despite receiving praise for casting actors with disabilities and telling a heartwarming story, the film is being targeted by boycott trends on social media.

Hyderabad: Aamir Khan’s upcoming film Sitaare Zameen Par, which is set to release soon, has found itself at the centre of an online storm. Despite receiving praise for casting actors with disabilities and telling a heartwarming story, the film is being targeted by boycott trends on social media. Many users are calling to avoid the film, accusing Aamir of being “anti-national”  a charge that has now become common against several celebrities who do not toe the political line.

The backlash seems to have two major triggers. One is Aamir Khan’s supposed “delayed” response to Operation Sindoor, a recent military strike by the Indian Army against terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The second reason is a resurfaced video from a 2020 visit to Turkey, where Aamir met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s wife. The meeting, which took place during the shoot of Laal Singh Chaddha, had drawn criticism even back then because Erdoğan is seen by many as a controversial and conservative leader.

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Critics say Khan’s reaction to Operation Sindoor was limited to an Instagram story, calling it a “bare minimum” gesture. Some also believe he only did it to promote his film. “Toh aur kya karega? Border pe thodi jayega?” wrote a Reddit user, questioning the unfair expectations placed on an actor.

In a move that some believe is damage control, Aamir Khan Productions recently changed its display picture on all social media platforms to the Indian National Flag. While supporters found the move patriotic, others dismissed it as a strategy to calm public anger.

Reddit threads discussing the boycott are filled with a mix of frustration and sarcasm. “These keyboard warriors won’t actually boycott cheap Chinese goods, but will go after films,” one user wrote. Another pointed out that “those who shout boycott are not even regular movie-goers.”

The film, which is reportedly inspired by the Spanish movie Champions, tells the story of a basketball coach who trains a team of players with disabilities. Many netizens appreciated the decision to cast real people with disabilities instead of able-bodied actors playing such roles. “It’s a rare film that speaks about real issues,” one user noted.

Yet, the calls for boycott reflect a deeper trend rising hyper-nationalism and religious targeting. “His hatred started a decade ago when he spoke about growing intolerance in India,” wrote a Redditor, referring to a 2015 comment by Aamir that triggered nationwide controversy. “Since then, everything he does is politicised, mainly because he is Muslim,” the user added.

Some, however, have also raised fair criticism. One user pointed out the hypocrisy of meeting Erdoğan, a known fundamentalist, while opposing extremism in India. “It’s like a Turkish actor shaking hands with Modi and expecting no backlash in Turkey,” they said.

Still, others defended Aamir Khan by reminding people that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had once made a surprise visit to Pakistan to meet Nawaz Sharif and had also hugged Erdoğan in a global event. “So where does the outrage go then?” asked a commenter.

The noise online has once again opened up a discussion about where we draw the line between political beliefs and artistic expression. Whether Sitaare Zameen Par will succeed at the box office despite the boycott calls remains to be seen, but many fans and neutral observers are urging people to watch the film and judge it for what it is, rather than a politicising it.