Sitaare Zameen Par director RS Prasanna fires back in remake debate: Adaptation is an art in itself | Exclusive

After the lukewarm reception of Laal Singh Chaddha, fans have been eagerly awaiting Aamir Khan’s next movie. Now, with Sitaare Zameen Par set to hit theatres soon, the actor is making his much-anticipated return to the big screen. Amid speculation that the upcoming film is a Hindi adaptation of a Spanish original, director RS Prasanna addressed the topic of remakes in an interview with LiveMint.

Sitaare Zameen Par director on remakes

When asked about his views on remakes, Prasanna offered his perspective: “As a director, I’m always looking for a story. Sometimes I write it myself, and sometimes I remake it myself. Kalyana Samayal Saadham is a story I wrote, and I adapted it into Hindi as Shubh Mangal Saavdhan—my own film. If there’s an opportunity to tell a story again in another culture or in a different language where the original hasn’t been seen, and if the material excites the director, then they naturally want to tell the story in a new format or context.

Why did I adapt my Tamil film into Hindi? Because Kalyana was a very universal story that could transcend cultures. Since it was in Tamil, a lot of Tamil people saw it, but the Hindi audience didn’t. It took us almost a year to rewrite and adapt it.”

Last week, Aamir Khan defended doing remakes, citing films like Ghajini and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. He said remakes offer a fresh canvas and he will continue doing them if the story excites him. “It’s my choice to do it. If you don’t want to watch, that’s your choice,” he added.

After Aamir Khan's comments, Sitaare Zameen Par director RS Prasanna echoed similar sentiments during the conversation.

He said, “Adaptation is an art in itself.”

“To adapt a movie and do justice to it in a different language and culture, much of it gets lost in translation. You have to stay true to the spirit of the original while also changing things around and conceptualising it for the new culture. These are very interesting challenges for a director like me. I enjoy it. Telling a story is what’s important. The source can be me, another writer, a book, a play... What matters to me is that it’s a story I’m excited to take to the audience. That’s what drives me,” he said.

RS Prasanna: Sitaare Zameen Par is a quintessential Aamir film

Without delving into the debate surrounding the film’s origins, Prasanna shared, “In this case, we got the opportunity to platform 10 neurodivergent actors—and many more. The thought behind it was so beautiful. We wanted to tell this story in theatres, where you could bring your whole family. That’s what I want for Sitaare Zameen Par – to get people into theatres and give them a chance. It’s a quintessential Aamir film, with its connection to Taare Zameen Par.”

Whether an official adaptation or not, Sitaare Zameen Par aims to move beyond the neurotypical gaze. With ten neurodivergent actors, the film promises a nuanced and refreshing portrayal of individuals with autism and Down syndrome.

Sitaare Zameen Par casting

Prasanna revealed that around 2,500 individuals with special needs auditioned for the Aamir Khan film. “We auditioned around 2,500 people. What we were looking for was the spark of acting. We narrowed it down to about 100, from which we made our final picks. They underwent both acting and basketball workshops. It became like a community; everyone was living together. Their parents were always with them.” 

He also shared that the team brought in a specialised doctor to help communicate with the neurodivergent actors and better understand their needs throughout the process.

“They absolutely loved talking and performing,” Prasanna said, referring to Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishnan Varma, Vedant Sharmaa, Naman Misra, Rishi Shahani, Rishabh Jain, Ashish Pendse, Samvit Desai, Simran Mangeshkar, and Aayush Bhansali, who are all making their acting debut with the film.

Interestingly, none of them knew which film they were auditioning for.

So, how did they react upon learning they had landed roles in an Aamir Khan film? “We revealed it to them only after they were selected,” Prasanna shared. “They went ecstatic!”

Aamir Khan suggested Genelia D'Souza

The film also features Genelia D'Souza in the female lead role.

Was she the first choice for the part? Director RS Prasanna revealed, “It was actually Aamir who suggested her. We were discussing casting while I was outlining the character, and he said, ‘What about Genelia?’ I immediately jumped on the idea. Genelia is a fantastic actor. Recently, her reels were amazing, and I found a wonderful, positive energy in her—that was exactly what the film needed.”

Sitaare Zameen Par is scheduled to release on 20 June.