Aamir Khan, gearing up for the release of his new film 'Sitaare Zameen Par,' has recently revealed the reasons behind his decision to not release his blockbuster film 'Dangal' in Pakistan. This revelation comes after negative feedback he received from Pakistan following his 1999 film 'Sarfarosh.'

Khan stated that 'Sarfarosh' was the first film to directly use the word "Pakistan" in its dialogues, instead of the euphemistic "Padosi Mulk" (neighboring country). However, after the film's release, he faced considerable criticism from Pakistani audiences regarding its portrayal of their country.

Years later, when 'Dangal' was ready for release in 2016, the situation took a different turn. According to Aamir Khan, the Pakistani censor board requested the removal of the Indian flag and the national anthem from the scene where Geeta Phogat wins her wrestling match. He recounted his immediate reaction during a recent interview, stating, "When the film was released, Disney was one of the producers; they presented it. Pakistan's censor had asked them to remove the Indian flag and the Indian national anthem from the scene where Geeta Phogat wins a match.” He added, “They said they won't release this film unless this is done. Within a second, I told them that our film will not be released in Pakistan. I did not want to think about it either.”

Despite concerns from the producers about potential financial losses, Aamir Khan stood firm on his decision. He said, "They said this might impact our business. I said, 'I have no interest if somebody asks me to remove our national flag and national anthem. I do not want this.'" This unwavering stance highlighted his commitment to national pride over business considerations.

'Dangal,' a biographical sports drama directed by Nitesh Tiwari, features Aamir Khan as Mahavir Singh Phogat, who trains his daughters Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari to become world-class wrestlers. The film was a massive success, grossing ₹387 crore in India and ₹2,070.3 crore worldwide, despite not being released in Pakistan. Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra played the adult versions of the Phogat sisters, while Zaira Wasim and Suhani Bhatnagar portrayed their younger selves. Sakshi Tanwar played their mother.

Aamir Khan's upcoming film, 'Sitaare Zameen Par,' is described as a spiritual sequel to his 2007 hit, 'Taare Zameen Par'. The new film is scheduled for release on June 21st and also stars Genelia D'Souza in the lead role. However, the movie has already courted controversy, with many claiming it to be a "frame-by-frame" copy of the Spanish film 'Campeones' (2018). Social media is abuzz with reactions from viewers who are disappointed that Aamir Khan, known for hits like 'Sarfarosh,' '3 Idiots,' and 'Dangal,' would choose to remake a foreign film. Some have pointed out the failure of his previous remake, 'Laal Singh Chaddha,' and questioned his recent script choices.