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Aamir Khan’s much-anticipated film Sitaare Zameen Par finally hit theatres on Friday, June 20, after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) cleared it with a slew of controversial directives — including the insertion of a quote by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the opening credits. The certification had been delayed until the filmmakers agreed to this and several other changes.
The CBFC’s move has invited backlash from critics and free speech advocates, who argued that a forced inclusion of political statements amounts to censorship and political overreach.
The film was certified on June 17 after the producers made the required edits. Among the most debated was the mandatory inclusion of a quote from the Prime Minister that reads: “In 2047, when we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Independence, our divyang friends will be seen as an inspiration to the whole world. Today we have to be determined for this goal. Let us all build a society where no dream or goal is impossible — only then we will be able to build a truly inclusive and developed India.”
Disability rights activists have long objected to the term “divyang” — meaning “divine body” — which was coined by Modi in 2015. Activists view it as a regressive terminology that dehumanises persons with disabilities. The terminology has been opposed through petitions to the Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment since December 2015, despite which it has continued to be pushed by the government.
Directed by RS Prasanna, Sitaare Zameen Par stars Aamir Khan, Genelia D’Souza, and others, and is the Hindi adaptation of the 2018 Spanish film Champions. Going by the trailer, the story follows an effective yet irresponsible basketball coach who, after a court sentence, is ordered to train a team of athletes with intellectual disabilities, as part of his community service.
Alongside the Prime Minister’s quote, the CBFC mandated a series of other edits on the film. According to Hindustan Times, these included replacing the phrase “business woman” with “business person”; shortening a 30-second disclaimer to a 26-second voice-over; removing a visual containing the word “kamal” (lotus) and its appearance in subtitles; and substituting “Michael Jackson” with “Lovebirds” in subtitles.
The film was initially reviewed by a smaller examining committee and later by a nine-member revising committee chaired by theatre director Waman Kendre — a standard process when the CBFC chair or filmmakers request a re-evaluation. Members of the committee have so far refrained from commenting on the controversy.