Aamir Khan’s long-awaited return to cinema with Sitaare Zameen Par was supposed to be a celebratory affair. The trailer of the film dropped on Tuesday evening, marking the actor’s comeback after a three-year hiatus. However, what should have been a triumphant return quickly spiraled into controversy when his production house shared a delayed tribute to the armed forces for Operation Sindoor—India’s recent retaliatory strikes following the Pahalgam terror attack.
The Instagram post from Aamir Khan Productions saluted the Indian forces, stating: “Heartfelt gratitude to our armed forces for their courage, bravery and unwavering commitment to the security of our nation. Thank you to the Hon’ble Prime Minister for his leadership and resolve. Jai Hind.” While the sentiment was applauded by some, others were quick to point out the timing. Many called it a strategic move to coincide with the trailer release, accusing the actor of staying silent during the critical period and only speaking up when it served promotional interests.
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Aamir, who is not active on social media, usually communicates via his production banner. But the delay in acknowledging the military operation—over a week after it occurred—sparked fierce online criticism.
By Thursday morning, #BoycottAamirKhan was trending on X (formerly Twitter). Several users slammed the actor for what they saw as opportunism. One post read, “This snake broke his silence just to promote his movie.” Another wrote, “He felt unsafe in India, but now wants to cash in on patriotism?” Critics also referenced his past comments about intolerance and alleged selective silence on sensitive national issues.
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Amid this online outrage, Sitaare Zameen Par remains under heavy scrutiny. Directed by RS Prasanna, the film is a spiritual sequel to Aamir’s acclaimed Taare Zameen Par and features ten debutant actors. Aamir plays a basketball coach training a team of intellectually disabled individuals. The film also stars Genelia D’Souza and is scheduled for release on June 20.