The countdown is on for Sitaare Zameen Par, and Aamir Khan’s latest is already stealing the show in the pre-release buzz, surging ahead of Kajol’s Maa. Just days away from its June 20, 2025, debut, Aamir’s heartfelt sports drama saw a massive 57.2% jump in interest on BookMyShow in just 24 hours, leaving Kajol’s horror flick playing catch-up. Here’s the scoop on this box office face-off and what’s fueling the excitement.
Sitaare Zameen Par, directed by R.S. Prasanna, is a feel-good follow-up to Aamir’s 2007 classic Taare Zameen Par. It follows a down-on-his-luck basketball coach (Aamir) who finds purpose coaching a team of neurodivergent adults. The film’s buzz exploded on BookMyShow, jumping from about 40K likes on June 14 to a whopping 63.9K by the next day—that’s nearly 21K new fans in a single day! It’s now outpacing Maa, even though Kajol’s film is currently sitting pretty at #1 on IMDb’s most anticipated Indian movies list, with Aamir at #3.
Kajol’s Maa, a spooky mythological horror directed by Vishal Furia, hits theaters a week later on June 27. It’s got Kajol as a mom battling supernatural forces to save her daughter, tying into the Shaitaan universe with a mix of chills and heart. Its promos have been low-key but effective, and there’s even talk of an R. Madhavan cameo. Still, it’s trailing Sitaare Zameen Par in BookMyShow likes, meaning Kajol’s team might need to kick things up a notch to match Aamir’s momentum.
The two films aren’t clashing head-on, but Sitaare Zameen Par’s opening week could steal some thunder from Maa’s debut if it builds strong word-of-mouth. Aamir’s banking on the emotional pull of his story, though some fans are side-eyeing the trailer and its Champions remake roots. That said, his track record with hits like Lagaan and Dangal has folks optimistic. Maa, with its 50-crore budget and a projected 6-8 crore opening, is riding the horror wave of 2025, but it’ll need to crank up the hype to compete.
Both movies are all about great storytelling—Sitaare Zameen Par is aiming for family vibes, while Maa is going for horror fans’ hearts. Aamir’s film is hitting 1,200-1,500 screens with a theater-only focus, while Maa will roll out in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali. It’s a close race, and the next few days could make or break things. Will Kajol’s Maa find its groove, or is Aamir’s Sitaare Zameen Par set to rule the box office? Grab your tickets on BookMyShow and stay tuned for updates!
Source: Koimoi