Why Is ‘Boycott Sitaare Zameen Par’ Trending on ‘X’? Aamir Khan’s New Film Sparks Online Outrage
Aamir Khan’s upcoming film Sitaare Zameen Par has landed in controversy shortly after its trailer was released on YouTube on May 13. The hashtag #BoycottSitaareZameenPar began trending on social media platform ‘X’ as users called for a boycott of the film, despite its seemingly positive message.
The film, described as a spiritual sequel to the 2007 hit Taare Zameen Par, features Khan as a basketball coach assigned by the court to train a team of intellectually disabled children—marking his return to the big screen after Laal Singh Chaddha (2022), which underperformed at the box office.
The trailer emphasizes inclusion, acceptance, and social change, and Khan has been praised by some for spotlighting intellectual disabilities. However, the backlash seems to be rooted in issues beyond the film’s content.
Why the Boycott?
Critics on ‘X’ are circulating old photos of Aamir Khan with Turkey’s First Lady Emine Erdogan from his 2020 visit to Turkey during the filming of Laal Singh Chaddha. The meeting had stirred controversy even back then due to Turkey’s diplomatic closeness with Pakistan.
This sentiment has intensified in light of recent geopolitical developments. On May 7, India carried out missile strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and PoK under “Operation Sindoor,” following the April 22 Pahalgam massacre in which 26 tourists were killed. Turkey’s public support for Pakistan during these events led to renewed outrage among Indian citizens.
As a result, the anger has spilled over into an online movement against Turkish Airlines and now, against Aamir Khan’s new film, especially due to his perceived associations with Turkey.
While Sitaare Zameen Par aims to convey a socially meaningful message, it finds itself caught in a storm of political tensions and public sentiment—raising questions about the line between art and activism in today’s polarised environment.
