Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par debuts with Rs 11.70 Cr day 1 collection , matches Laal Singh Chaddha but falls short of 3 Idiots

Aamir Khan’s comeback vehicle Sitaare Zameen Par has opened to Rs 11.70 crore at the domestic box office on its first day, matching the Day 1 figures of his previous release Laal Singh Chaddha. While this is a promising start, especially after the mixed reception to Chaddha, the film narrowly misses surpassing the opening day collection of his much-loved classic 3 Idiots, which had notched Rs 12.99 crore on Day 1.

The film, which has been positioned as an emotional, feel-good story in the same vein as Taare Zameen Par, has clearly sparked audience curiosity. Industry insiders credit the film’s opening to a blend of Aamir’s emotional brand of storytelling and the nostalgia surrounding his earlier socially sensitive dramas.The film’s major collection came from it’s Hindi version where it collected Rs 11.50 crore while the rest came from Tamil and Telugu. When it came to Laal SIngh Chaddha- the Hindi version contributed Rs 11.6 crore while the rest came from Tamil and Telugu.

However, while matching Laal Singh Chaddha’s Day 1 performance may seem encouraging on paper, the comparison comes with a caveat—Chaddha released amid controversies, while Sitaare Zameen Par enjoyed a far more positive pre-release buzz and wider screen count. In that context, falling behind 3 Idiots—a film that released way back in 2009—is being seen as a missed opportunity.

Here’s how Sitaare Zameen Par compares to other Aamir Khan Day 1 openers:

• Thugs of Hindostan – Rs 52.25 crore
  
• Dhoom 3 – Rs 36.22 crore
  
• Dangal – Rs 29.78 crore
  
• PK – Rs 26.63 crore
  
• Talaash – Rs 13.55 crore
  
• 3 Idiots – Rs 12.99 crore
  
• Sitaare Zameen Par – Rs 11.70 crore
  
• Laal Singh Chaddha – Rs 11.70 crore
  
• Ghajini – Rs 10.20 crore
  
• Secret Superstar – Rs 4.80 crore
  
• Fanaa – Rs 3.97 crore
  
• Dhobi Ghat – Rs 3.05 crore
  
• Rang De Basanti – Rs 2.90 crore
  

While Sitaare Zameen Par hasn’t cracked the top 5 Aamir Khan openers, the weekend holds promise. If positive word of mouth kicks in, it could well make up ground and find a place among the actor’s more successful box office runs.