Hollywood sports drama Champions (2023), starring Woody Harrelson, is seeing an unexpected surge in attention from Indian audiences — two years after its original release. The reason? Aamir Khan’s upcoming film Sitaare Zameen Par.
Indian fans have flooded the trailer of Champions on YouTube with comments after noticing striking similarities between the two films. Harrelson’s Champions tells the story of a disgraced basketball coach who is ordered by the court to train a team of players with intellectual disabilities. Coincidentally, the same narrative arc appears in the trailer for Sitaare Zameen Par, where Aamir Khan plays a former Delhi state basketball coach who ends up training a special needs team.
One curious viewer commented, “Who else is here to check whether Aamir Khan’s new movie ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ is a remake of this one or not?” Another joked, “Sitaare Zameen Par viewers, mark your attendance here.”
The comparisons ignited hours after Sitaare Zameen Par‘s trailer dropped earlier this week. Social media users quickly pointed out the parallels between the two films, from the underdog team dynamic to the heartwarming emotional tone.
Not the First Remake
Ironically, Champions itself is a remake. The film is adapted from the 2018 Spanish movie Campeones, which starred Javier Gutiérrez as the coach and won both critical acclaim and box office success in Spain. One early comment on the Champions trailer had noted, “I saw the original Spanish film ‘Campeones’ at the Palm Springs Film Festival in 2019. It was WAY better (funny and heartwarming) than it had any right to be.”
Directed by Bobby Farrelly, Champions also stars Kaitlin Olson, Ernie Hudson, and Cheech Marin. Despite its feel-good message and star power, the film received mixed reviews and failed at the box office, earning only $19.2 million globally — partly due to its unfortunate timing alongside the release of John Wick 4.
Where to Watch Champions in India
For those curious to see the movie behind the sudden buzz, Champions is currently available for streaming on JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar in India.
About Sitaare Zameen Par
Aamir Khan’s Sitaare Zameen Par is being touted as a spiritual sequel to his 2007 classic Taare Zameen Par. Directed by RS Prasanna and produced by Aamir Khan Productions, the film features 10 debut actors and co-stars Genelia D’Souza. The screenplay is written by Divy Nidhi Sharma. The film is scheduled to release on June 20, 2025.
Sources By Agencies
