Welcome to my academic blog, a curated space where literature, theory, and critical thinking meet. As a postgraduate student of English at Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, I share detailed notes, assignments, presentations, and reflections on topics ranging from war poetry and modern drama to deconstruction and postmodernism. This platform serves as both a personal archive and a resource for fellow literature enthusiasts.
We are introduced to Gulshan Arora (Aamir Khan), not in a moment of glory, but of downfall. Once a promising assistant basketball coach in Delhi, Gulshan is arrogant, bitter, and emotionally volatile. In the very first scene, his frustration explodes when he punches his superior during a match dispute. Shortly after, he's arrested for drunk driving. The court, however, offers him an alternative to jail: three months of community service.
This opening already establishes Gulshan’s character as one who has hit rock bottom—not just professionally, but morally. In a courtroom scene, when he casually refers to people with intellectual disabilities as “pagal”, the judge sternly rebukes him, hinting that this will be more than just a sports story.
Meeting the Team: Clash of Worlds
Gulshan lands at a centre for adults with developmental disabilities. What he finds there is not a team, but a group of nine cheerful, intelligent, unpredictable individuals—each with their own neurological makeup. We meet:
Bantu – who stimms by scratching his ears
Guddu – who has a strong aquaphobia and loves to work with animal
Hargovind – a high-functioning autistic youth with invisible symptoms
Sharmaji – a charming, stylish man with speech impairment, who sizes up Gulshan with a sarcastic line: “Naya coach gadha hai.”
In these early scenes, Gulshan is visibly uncomfortable and unsure how to behave. He demands discipline, but the team doesn't operate on his rigid schedule. There's a strong moment when Gulshan attempts to coach them using his traditional shouting method. Instead of motivating, it alienates them further. The players, especially Sharmaji, immediately detect his insincerity.
This clash sets the emotional foundation: Who is “disabled” here—the players who are misjudged, or the coach who can’t understand?
Turning Point: When Understanding Begins
A key moment comes when Gulshan helps Guddu overcome his fear of water. Previously shown to avoid bathing due to trauma, Guddu’s change doesn’t happen overnight. Gulshan, with reluctant patience, encourages him, breaks it down step by step, and finally, Guddu trusts him.
This is not just a “victory” for the team. It is a moment where Gulshan steps out of himself, becoming softer, more empathetic, more present.
Another delightful twist is the arrival of Golu Khan, a lively new team member whose charisma and enthusiasm add energy to the team. The dynamic becomes less about rules and more about bonding, laughter, and shared effort. The montage of them practising—laughing, falling, trying again—shows how learning is not always linear.
In one scene, Hargovind gets frustrated and walks off the court. Gulshan follows, only to realise that loud sounds overstimulate Hargovind’s senses. This subtle learning shapes how Gulshan tailors each coaching method, recognising that inclusion doesn’t mean expecting everyone to adjust to the norm—but changing the norm to welcome everyone.
Personal Parallel: The Coach’s Fears
Gulshan’s transformation isn’t just emotional—it’s also physical. On the way to the national tournament in Mumbai, the team is forced to take an elevator. Gulshan panics. It’s revealed that he has a phobia of lifts, which he's been avoiding for years. This moment is handled beautifully: just like Guddu faced his fear of water, Gulshan now confronts his fear.
There’s poetic justice in how the student becomes the teacher.
But then comes a sharp twist. In Mumbai, Gulshan is shocked to discover his widowed mother (Dolly Ahluwalia) is in a romantic relationship with their family cook, Daulatji. He reacts with confusion and immaturity, mirroring how he previously judged his players. His mother tells him:
“Jo baaki logo se alag hote hai, unke liye kisi na kisi ko ladna padta hai.”
This line hits hard. It reflects the film's central theme: we fight not just for the right to be included—but the right to be seen as whole.
The Final Match: A Loss That Feels Like a Win
The tournament match is not overly dramatized. The team plays their heart out, but they lose. And yet, there’s no despair. They dance, laugh, and hug. In one moving scene, Sharmaji, who had earlier called Gulshan a donkey, hugs him and says, “Coach, hum jeet gaye.”
Because they did. Not on the scoreboard, but in dignity, self-belief, and belonging.
Gulshan, too, realises the truth: “Main samajhta tha main inka coach hoon, par asli coach toh yeh log the.”
Ending: Embracing Life
In the film’s closing moments, Sunita (Genelia Deshmukh) tells Gulshan she’s pregnant. The once-immature, responsibility-fearing man now stands ready for fatherhood, a changed human being.
This ending doesn’t feel forced. It’s the result of steady, patient growth—just like the team he trained.
Soundtrack: Emotion in Every Beat
The soundtrack of Sitaare Zameen Par is deeply woven into the emotional rhythm of the film, capturing its spirit of transformation, vulnerability, and celebration. The first track, "Good for Nothing", sung by Shankar Mahadevan and Amitabh Bhattacharya, sets the tone for Gulshan’s character. It’s playful, ironic, and self-deprecating, reflecting his chaotic fall from grace and the inner conflict of a man who sees himself as wasted potential. The lyrics mirror his arrogance and disillusionment, but with a humorous undertone that makes his journey relatable rather than bitter.
Next comes "Sar Aankhon Pe Mere", a soft, soulful duet by Arijit Singh and Shariva Parulkar. This track plays during the turning point of the film, when Gulshan starts to bond with his team. The lyrics and melody beautifully express humility, quiet admiration, and a growing emotional connection. It’s a song of realization, acceptance, and deep respect—a subtle shift from “I’m training them” to “They’re changing me.”
The title track, "Sitaare Zameen Par", sung by Shankar Mahadevan, Siddharth Mahadevan, and Divya Kumar, is the emotional and thematic core of the film. It's uplifting and energetic, celebrating the uniqueness of every individual. The song reinforces the idea that brilliance doesn’t always look the same—it reminds us that everyone is a star in their own sky, no matter how different or misunderstood they may seem.
Finally, "Shubh Mangalam", again featuring Shankar Mahadevan and Amitabh Bhattacharya, is a light-hearted and festive number. It plays during the film’s joyful conclusion, marking a new beginning for Gulshan as he embraces fatherhood and emotional maturity. With its celebratory rhythm and traditional touch, the song wraps the narrative with warmth and optimism.
Each song feels like a chapter—marking progress, emotion, and hope.
Final Reflection: Between Representation and Reality
Sitaare Zameen Par is a film that tries to wear many hats—sports drama, social message, redemption story. While its heart is clearly in the right place, the film avoids messiness. Most neurodivergent characters, except for Hargovind, are portrayed in a sweet, almost saintly manner. This positive stereotyping runs the risk of simplifying the vast complexities of neurodivergent lives.
Yet, the film starts a conversation—and sometimes, that’s the beginning of change.
Final Verdict:
If Taare Zameen Par had the soul of a child misunderstood, Sitaare Zameen Par has the spirit of adults underestimated. The message is simple yet profound:
“Sabka apna apna normal hota hai.”
And that’s not just a dialogue. That’s a mindset shift the world needs.
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT – R.K. Narayan and Sitaare Zameen Par (2025): A Deep Comparative Explanation
I. THEME COMPARISON: CORE MESSAGE
Aspect
R.K. Narayan's "Crime and Punishment"
Sitaare Zameen Par (2025)
Main Theme
The clash between idealistic parenting and realistic teaching
The journey from misunderstanding to empathy in coaching differently-abled adults
Protagonist’s Role
A helpless private tutor trapped between parental theories and reality
Gulshan Arora – a failed coach forced to confront his biases
Conflict
Teacher vs. spoiled child and blind parents
Coach vs. neurodiverse team and his own rigid mindset
Resolution
A temporary truce based on guilt and survival
A complete transformation through empathy, understanding, and shared humanity
Message
Overprotective parenting and flawed educational ideals can spoil a child
True learning begins when we stop judging difference as deficiency
II. PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPTH AND CHARACTER STUDY
In Crime and Punishment, the private tutor’s psychological state is central to understanding the narrative. He is constantly battling not just the stubbornness of the child but also the unrealistic expectations of the child’s overindulgent parents. The boy, though small, understands how to emotionally manipulate situations to his advantage. He uses his parents’ trust and the liberal parenting style as tools to blackmail the teacher. The teacher, cornered between professional responsibility and helpless frustration, reaches a breaking point when he slaps the boy—an act that reveals not cruelty but deep emotional fatigue. Yet, despite threatening to expose the teacher, the boy ultimately protects him, but this act too is selfish—driven by his fear of being caught for academic failure.
In contrast, Sitaare Zameen Par offers a deeply emotional character arc of Gulshan Arora, a failed coach with an arrogant past, who is forced to engage with a neurodiverse basketball team. At first, he sees their disabilities as a weakness. However, as he begins to understand each team member's personality, fears, and emotional needs, Gulshan is slowly transformed. He overcomes his own traumas—like his phobia of elevators—and begins to coach from a place of empathy rather than authority. He realizes that his players are not just learners; they are, in many ways, his own teachers. This marks a profound internal shift, leading to the recognition that growth is not just about skills, but about the courage to change perspectives.
III. EDUCATIONAL CRITIQUE
In R.K. Narayan’s story, education is portrayed as an institution that is misused and misunderstood by the parents. They idolize modern child psychology without truly understanding discipline, and in doing so, raise a child who lacks basic respect for adults and structure. The teacher, underpaid and undervalued, is forced to pretend he supports their approach, while internally he knows that their so-called ideals are damaging the boy’s future. The story reveals how unchecked freedom, without moral boundaries, can actually hinder a child's development and create emotional chaos for educators.
In Sitaare Zameen Par, the critique focuses on the rigidity of conventional education and sports culture that fails to accommodate diverse minds. Gulshan begins by enforcing strict training, but this fails because his team doesn’t fit into traditional molds. He slowly learns that inclusion doesn’t mean expecting everyone to behave the same way—it means adapting the system to suit different needs. This shift represents a more modern, humanistic vision of education where emotional connection and individualized methods replace hierarchy and discipline.
IV. POWER DYNAMICS AND EMOTIONAL TENSION
Power Dynamic
"Crime and Punishment"
"Sitaare Zameen Par"
Adult vs Child
Child uses parental authority to dominate tutor
Players challenge coach’s authority through honesty
Control
Maintained through guilt and appeasement
Shifted through empathy and shared learning
Resolution
Ends in uneasy peace
Ends in emotional liberation and moral growth
Power dynamics play a crucial role in both narratives. In Crime and Punishment, the child holds unexpected power over the teacher—not because of maturity or wisdom, but because of parental protection and blind affection. The teacher cannot enforce learning; instead, he must tiptoe around the child’s mood and manipulation. In Sitaare Zameen Par, although Gulshan begins as an authoritarian coach, it is the team that eventually transforms him through honesty, emotion, and silent strength. They never challenge him with rebellion, but by simply being themselves. In doing so, they overturn traditional power structures, proving that understanding—not control—is the real source of influence.
V. SYMBOLS AND STYLE
Symbol
In Narayan's Story
In Sitaare Zameen Par
Red cheek
Guilt, fear, power struggle between teacher and student
-
Toy train game
Child’s domination over adult
-
Water, Elevator
-
Symbolize fears overcome through trust
Whistle and Station Master
Metaphor for false authority the child gives teacher
-
Songs
None – stark, ironic tone
Key emotional devices that enhance mood and narrative
The symbols used in both works add layers to their respective stories. In Crime and Punishment, the red cheek after the slap is not just a physical mark—it is a symbol of the teacher’s moral fall and the emotional power struggle. The toy train game becomes a metaphor for how the child enforces his control over the adult world. In contrast, Sitaare Zameen Par uses sensory and physical symbols such as fear of water and elevators to depict emotional growth. These represent the internal blocks that both players and the coach must overcome. The film also uses music not merely as entertainment, but as emotional storytelling—each song marking a different stage of inner transformation.
VI. FINAL INSIGHT: WHAT THEY TEACH US
Crime and Punishment teaches us that parenting based solely on liberal ideals and freedom, without structure and discipline, can produce emotionally immature and manipulative children. It also highlights the silent suffering of educators who are not empowered to do their jobs honestly. The story critiques not just the child, but the entire flawed system that prioritizes blind affection over balanced development.
Sitaare Zameen Par, on the other hand, offers a more hopeful vision. It shows that even the most rigid and judgmental individuals can grow if they are willing to listen and connect. Education, it argues, is not about uniformity or obedience—it is about trust, emotional sensitivity, and adaptation. The coach learns that inclusion is not a favor done to the different—it is a necessity for real learning.
Conclusion: Two Sides of the Same Educational Coin
Both Crime and Punishment and Sitaare Zameen Par tackle the question of what it means to educate, discipline, and nurture. Narayan’s short story shows the dark satire of a broken system where the teacher becomes a puppet in the hands of the parents and the child. In contrast, Sitaare Zameen Par shows the redemptive power of patience, respect, and emotional transformation. In the end, both works ask us to re-evaluate our assumptions: Is discipline the enemy of love? Is freedom the same as care? Or can true education exist only where there is mutual respect and understanding?
Questions and Answers :
1. How does the movie portray the education system?
The film Sitaare Zameen Par presents the education system not as a fixed structure, but as a rigid and traditional framework that often fails to understand the needs of neurodivergent individuals. Initially, Gulshan Arora represents that very system—authoritative, impatient, and dismissive. His style of coaching mirrors what we often see in conventional education: strict discipline, one-size-fits-all methods, and a focus on performance over understanding.
But the movie slowly dismantles this system. It shows us that learning is not linear and that emotional sensitivity is just as important as academic or physical achievement. For example, Gulshan’s realization that loud sounds overstimulate Hargovind, or that Guddu’s fear of water stems from trauma, is symbolic of the kind of adaptability and emotional intelligence the real education system lacks. Rather than being about tests and medals, the film defines education as a process of listening, trusting, and transforming, which challenges the way we think about both schooling and coaching.
In short, the movie shows that the education system is deeply flawed when it prioritizes structure over student individuality—and it needs to evolve into something inclusive, patient, and flexible.
2. What message does the movie give about the role of teachers and parents?
The message the film gives about teachers and parents is profound and clear: they are not authority figures, but facilitators of emotional and personal growth. Gulshan, who begins as a failed, angry coach, slowly learns that his real role is not to command but to understand. In one of the film’s most touching moments, he admits, “Main samajhta tha main inka coach hoon, par asli coach toh yeh log the”—a line that reveals how much he has learned from his students. It flips the traditional teacher-student dynamic.
Parents too are redefined in this narrative. Gulshan’s reaction to his mother’s relationship initially mirrors societal judgment, but his mother’s line—“Jo baaki logo se alag hote hai, unke liye kisi na kisi ko ladna padta hai”—is a call to fight for dignity and visibility for those who are different. It’s not just about raising a child but about creating space for them to exist fully.
The teacher’s role, as shown in the film, is not just to teach facts but to guide, empathize, and grow with the students. Similarly, the parent’s role is not only about protection but also about allowing emotional honesty and accepting life’s changes.
3. How does it compare with the story?
When we compare Sitaare Zameen Par with R.K. Narayan’s Crime and Punishment, we find both similarities and stark contrasts. Both texts highlight the failure of traditional roles—teachers being reduced to tools, and parents either overbearing or disconnected from reality.
In Crime and Punishment, the teacher is stuck in a trap created by overly liberal parents who believe in an idealized version of child psychology. They see their son as a flawless angel, while in truth, he manipulates the system to get his way. The teacher is forced to obey them, despite knowing that the child needs structure and discipline. The ending, where the boy silently forgives the teacher only to protect himself from exposure, reveals that the adult world has failed the child by not setting boundaries.
On the other hand, Sitaare Zameen Par offers a more transformational and hopeful perspective. Instead of remaining trapped in traditional systems, the characters evolve. Gulshan, though flawed, redeems himself through genuine emotional change. The neurodiverse students aren’t manipulated or spoiled like the boy in Narayan’s story—instead, they are misunderstood and finally embraced for who they are. Where Narayan’s story ends in uneasy compromise, the film ends in emotional resolution and growth.
So, while both explore flaws in educational systems and authority roles, Narayan’s story is more of a cautionary satire, whereas the film is a narrative of transformation and healing.
4. What did you feel or learn after watching the movie?
Watching Sitaare Zameen Par was an emotional and eye-opening experience. It made me question not just the systems around me, but my own way of seeing others. The most powerful realization was that everyone has their own version of “normal”, and what we often call a weakness is just a different kind of strength. The movie does not ask for sympathy for the differently-abled; it demands dignity, inclusion, and respect.
Gulshan’s journey deeply resonated with me. His transformation reminded me that no matter how lost or arrogant a person may seem, they can still grow if given the chance. I also learned that real teaching starts only when we listen—not when we instruct. The coach thought he was going to change his students, but in truth, they redefined him.
The moment where the team loses the game but celebrates with joy and pride was incredibly moving. It reminded me that success is not always on a scoreboard—sometimes, it’s in the courage to show up, to connect, and to keep going despite difference or difficulty. That final line—“Sabka apna apna normal hota hai”—is not just a feel-good slogan. It’s a truth we all need to believe in.
References :
Aamir Khan Productions. Sitaare Zameen Par | Official Trailer | Aamir Khan | Genelia Deshmukh. YouTube, 13 May 2025, https://youtu.be/YH6k5weqwy8.
Zee Music Company. Good for Nothing | Sitaare Zameen Par | Aamir Khan | Shankar Mahadevan | Amitabh Bhattacharya | SEL. YouTube, 22 May 2025, https://youtu.be/NPxjc3_PtQU.
Zee Music Company. Sar Aankhon Pe Mere | Sitaare Zameen Par | Aamir Khan, Genelia Deshmukh. YouTube, 29 May 2025, https://youtu.be/JSndrGYjPy4.
Zee Music Company. Shubh Mangalam | Sitaare Zameen Par | Aamir Khan, Genelia Deshmukh | Shankar Mahadevan, Amitabh, SEL. YouTube, 16 June 2025, https://youtu.be/SsvtdokuJlk.
Zee Music Company. Sitaare Zameen Par – Title Track | Aamir Khan, Genelia | Siddharth, Shankar M., Divya K., SEL, Amitabh. YouTube, 5 June 2025, https://youtu.be/q7MpzJQiJr8.
Sitaare Zameen Par. Directed by R. S. Prasanna, Aamir Khan Productions, 2025.
