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P7as2

What Aamir Khans Sitaare Zameen Par Role Teaches The Alpha Males Of Kabir Singh And Animal

In an era dominated by chest-thumping alpha males and hyper-masculine portrayals on screen, Aamir Khan’s return with Sitaare Zameen Par feels like a much-needed breath of fresh air. The actor, often referred to as ‘Mr. Perfectionist,’ doesn’t just return to the big screen; he returns with purpose. With Sitaare Zameen Par, Aamir breaks away from the testosterone-fueled archetype of the modern-day Bollywood hero and presents us with a deeply flawed, vulnerable, and ultimately healing male character. Set against the backdrop of a basketball court and a community of children with intellectual disabilities, Sitaare Zameen Par isn’t just a film; it’s a powerful counter-narrative. At the heart of it is Gulshan, a perpetually frustrated coach who begins the film as someone hard to empathize with. But as the story unfolds, so does Gulshan. We meet a man hiding behind layers of trauma, suppressed emotions, and a stubborn fear of confrontation. Slowly, the mask of anger slips off, revealing someone far more human and far more relatable. In recent years, Indian cinema has seen the meteoric rise of the alpha male archetype characters like Kabir Singh and Animal’s Rannvijay, who wear their emotional baggage like a badge of honor and use violence and aggression as expressions of love and loyalty. These are unstable men, emotionally unavailable and habitually destructive not only to themselves but to those around them. Kabir Singh (2019), starring Shahid Kapoor, became a hit even though it had a problematic message. His explosive temper, drug abuse, and acceptance of emotional abuse were used as signs of extreme, unrelenting love. Likewise, in Animal, Ranbir Kapoor’s Rannvijay is another emotionally scarred male whose love and hurt find expression through abusive dominance. These figures were cult idols not because they were heroes, but because they catered to a fantasy that romanticized uncontrolled male fury. But what happens when a character faces similar demons and chooses empathy instead of dominance? That’s where Aamir Khan’s Gulshan steps in. Gulshan, in Sitaare Zameen Par, is no saint. He drinks, he yells, he abandons conversations midway, and he emotionally neglects his wife, Sunita (played beautifully by Genelia Deshmukh). But rather than descend into self-destruction, he is assigned to an unfamiliar setting, serving alongside children who are differently abled in a community service order. At first resistant and aloof, Gulshan gradually starts to bond. Not with words, but with small acts of noticing, shared delight, and finally, true concern. These children, in their innocence and toughness, become mirrors to him. He finds in them what he has suppressed in himself: hope. His change is incremental and plausible. He doesn’t become an instant perfect human being. He trips, he struggles, and he cries. But that’s why his journey is so strong. It’s not redemption through spectacle; it’s healing through modesty. The genius of Sitaare Zameen Par is how it redefines masculinity. Gulshan’s emotional odyssey tells us that crying is not a sign of weakness, being unsure doesn’t make you less of a man, and healing can only start when we stop acting tough. At a time when Bollywood continues to mint money by projecting emotional abuse as ‘true love,’ Aamir Khan dares to play a character who doesn’t want to win at all costs. He simply wants to understand, to grow, and to be better. And maybe that’s the kind of hero we need more of. This isn’t the first time Aamir Khan has ventured into the grey. In Dil Chahta Hai, his Akash was emotionally avoidant and dismissive, almost losing his best friends and his chance at love. In Fanaa, he played a terrorist who truly loved the woman he was betraying. In Talaash, he portrayed a grieving father drowning in guilt and loneliness. But Gulshan is perhaps his most grounded character in recent memory, one that doesn’t rely on dramatic twists or high-stakes action. It relies on something far more powerful: emotional truth. In the grand scheme of Bollywood narratives, Sitaare Zameen Par may or may not shatter box office records like its alpha male counterparts. But it’s already done something far more valuable: it has started a conversation. A conversation about masculinity, emotional health, and the kind of stories we uplift. The success of Sitaare Zameen Par, both critically and commercially, proves that audiences are ready for nuance. We’re tired of the noise, the chest-thumping, and the relentless rage. We’re craving stories that remind us of the quiet strength in empathy, the courage in accountability, and the beauty of human imperfection. In the Japanese art of Kintsugi, broken pottery is mended with gold, highlighting its cracks instead of hiding them. In Sitaare Zameen Par, Aamir Khan gives us a character who does exactly that; he shines not in spite of his flaws, but because of them. And that, perhaps, is the truest kind of heroism.

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Worldnews

Ukraine F-16 Pilot Killed Repelling Massive Russian Air Attack

Maksym Ustimenko’s aircraft shot down seven air targets before losing altitude and crashing, the air force says. Ukraine has lost an F-16 aircraft and its pilot while repelling a Russian missile and drone strike, according to country’s air force, as heavy fighting in the war, now in its fourth year, grinds on daily with no signs of a ceasefire on the horizon. After shooting down seven air targets, the plane was damaged and lost altitude overnight, the Ukrainian military said in a statement published on Telegram on Sunday. “This night, while repelling a massive enemy air attack, a pilot of the 1st class, Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustimenko, born in 1993, died on an F-16 aircraft,” it said. In a separate statement, the air force said Russia launched 537 projectiles against Ukraine, including Shahed drones, cruise and ballistic missiles. Ukraine claimed to have intercepted 475 of them. According to the Kyiv Independent newspaper, the sound of explosions and strikes was reported in multiple areas across the country, including in southern Mykolaiv, southeastern Zaporizhia and western Lviv. Ihor Taburets, the governor of central Ukraine’s Cherkasy region, said at least six people were injured and civilian infrastructure was damaged in attacks. Three multistorey buildings and a college were damaged in the attack, he said. Industrial facilities were hit in the southern Ukrainian region of Mykolaiv and the central Dnipropetrovsk region, officials say. Local authorities published photos of high-rise residential buildings with charred walls and broken windows, and rescuers evacuating people. In Russia, the Ministry of Defence said its forces destroyed three Ukrainian drones in the border regions of Kursk and Rostov, and in Ukraine’s annexed Crimean Peninsula. Russia’s state-run RIA Novosti news agency said one person was killed by a Ukrainian drone in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine’s Luhansk region. Moscow also claimed Sunday that it had taken control of the village of Novoukrainka in the partially Russian-occupied Donetsk region. The latest wave of violence comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he intended to scale back military expenditure and also indicated he was ready for a new round of peace negotiations with Ukraine. In the past months, Moscow and Kyiv have sent delegations twice to the Turkish city of Istanbul for peace talks, but have made no progress towards ending the conflict, which started after Russia invaded its neighbour more than three years ago. However, both sides agreed upon and showed cooperation on prisoners’ swap. Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree on Sunday setting Ukraine on the road to leaving the antimine Ottawa Convention, according to a document published on his website. The treaty bans signatories from acquiring, producing, stockpiling or using antipersonnel mines, which are designed to be buried or hidden on the ground, and often cause terrible injuries to victims, including the loss of limbs, who survive their impact. Rights groups have often decried the long-term risk of unexploded landmines for civilians. More than 160 countries and territories are signatories to the Ottawa Convention, though neither the United States nor Russia has joined. The decision still must be ratified by the Ukrainian parliament, and the United Nations would then need to be notified. Confronted with Russia’s invasion, “Ukraine is compelled to give unconditional priority to the security of its citizens and the defence of the state,” Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Russia … uses mines against our military and civilians on a massive scale. We cannot remain bound by conditions when the enemy has no restrictions,” Ukrainian lawmaker Roman Kostenko said on social media. The treaty withdrawal follows similar decisions by Kyiv’s allies – Poland, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – which are all neighbours of Russia. Follow Al Jazeera English:...

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Futbol

Promotion-chasing Ipswich Delay 'extra Bit Of Elation'

When Ipswich Town boss Joe Sheehan speaks of his team putting themselves "in a good position", it is surely one of the under-statements of the season. Following Sunday's 11-0 win at MK Dons - when Sophie Peskett scored six of their goals - it would be impossible for Town to be any closer to winning the Women's National League Southern Premier title and promotion. They are three points clear of Hashtag United with both teams having one game left to play and their goal difference is +36 superior to their rivals. "It's a big win for us and one we needed, but nothing's done yet or confirmed so there's maybe a little bit of mixed feelings," Sheehan told BBC Radio Suffolk. "I'm feeling really pleased that we managed to win the game convincingly and put ourselves in a good position going into our final game but until it is mathematically confirmed, I will hold off that extra bit of elation until we get over the line." Ipswich have won 16 of their 21 games, losing only twice, and have scored 81 goals in the process, conceding only 10. Peskett now has 20 goals during the campaign and Jamaica international Natasha Thomas has 16 following a brace against the Dons. "It was a really composed, committed, professional performance, some really well worked goals, six for 'Pesk' which is remarkable, and a collective team effort that has put us in a really strong position," said Sheehan. "We have to enjoy the feeling that we have currently but we still have one game to go and want to make sure we end the season with a convincing performance that hopefully results in a final-day win. "The message (to the players) will be to enjoy the result but nothing is official, nothing is confirmed." Ipswich have to wait until 27 April for the chance to round things off in style when they take on Cheltenham Town on their home ground in Felixstowe. It will be the climax of a season which began with a total commitment to following the example of the Ipswich men's team, who won back-to-back promotions in 2023 and 2024, and reaching the second tier of the women's game, the Championship. Sheehan said: "They are a joy to work with. There's a special connection with staff and players. Togetherness is a huge pillar in our environment, it underpins everything we do each day. Hopefully in a couple of weeks' time we'll get our just rewards. "It's been a long process, lots of years of laying the groundwork and foundations. We'd like to think we're in a really strong position, we've really attacked it, we've conducted ourselves impeccably, we've established some really strong momentum, won some important games and responded well when things haven't gone our way." So how will he approach what is sure to be a memorable day against Cheltenham? "Going to celebrate won't be my particular focus, it will be about preparing to perform and try and win the game and do ourselves proud," he added. "We've been really consistent all season and won't be stopping now. It'll be a big occasion and a big crowd but one we're determined to give a really strong performance for."

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Worldnews

Nowhere To Run: The Afghan Refugees Caught In Israels War On Iran

Afghans stuck in Tehran represent a forgotten population in a conflict that has captured global attention – people who fled one danger zone only to find themselves trapped in another, with no safe haven in sight. On Friday, June 13, when Israeli missiles began raining down on Tehran, Shamsi was reminded once again just how vulnerable she and her family are. The 34-year-old Afghan mother of two was working at her sewing job in north Tehran. In a state of panic and fear, she rushed back home to find her daughters, aged five and seven, huddled beneath a table in horror. Shamsi fled Taliban rule in Afghanistan just a year ago, hoping Iran would offer safety. Now, undocumented and terrified, she finds herself caught in yet another dangerous situation – this time with no shelter, no status, and no way out. “I escaped the Taliban but bombs were raining over our heads here,” Shamsi told Al Jazeera from her home in northern Tehran, asking to be referred to by her first name only, for security reasons. “We came here for safety, but we didn’t know where to go.” Shamsi, a former activist in Afghanistan, and her husband, a former soldier in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan before the Taliban returned to power in 2021, fled to Iran on a temporary visa, fearful of reprisals from the Taliban over their work. But they have been unable to renew their visas because of the cost and the requirement to exit Iran and re-enter through Taliban-controlled Afghanistan – a journey that would likely be too dangerous. Life in Iran has not been easy. Without legal residency, Shamsi has no protection at work, no bank account, and no access to aid. “There was no help from Iranians, or from any international organisation,” she said. Internet blackouts in Tehran have made it hard to find information or contact family. “Without a driver’s licence, we can’t move around. Every crossroad in Tehran is heavily inspected by police,” she said, noting that they managed to get around restrictions to buy food before Israel began bombing, but once that started it became much harder. Iran hosts an estimated 3.5 million refugees and people in refugee-like situations, including some 750,000 registered Afghans. But more than 2.6 million are undocumented individuals. Since the Taliban’s return to power and the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, thousands of Afghans, including activists, journalists, former soldiers, and other vulnerable people, have crossed into Iran seeking refuge. Tehran province alone reportedly hosts 1.5 million Afghan refugees – the majority of them undocumented – and as Israel targeted sites in and around the capital, attacking civilian and military locations during the 12-day conflict, many Afghans were starkly reminded of their extreme vulnerability – unprotected and unable to access emergency assistance, or even reliable information during air raids as the internet was shut down for large periods of time. While many fled Tehran for the north of Iran, Afghan refugees like Shamsi and her family had nowhere to go. On the night of June 22, an explosion shook her neighbourhood, breaking the windows of the family’s apartment. “I was awake until 3am, and just an hour after I fell asleep, another blast woke me up,” she said. An entire residential apartment was levelled near her building. “I prepared a bag with my children’s main items to be ready if something happens to our building.” The June 23 ceasefire brokered by Qatar and the US came as a huge relief, but now there are other problems: Shamsi’s family is almost out of money. Her employer, who used to pay her in cash, has left the city and won’t answer her calls. “He’s disappeared,” she said. “When I [previously] asked for my unpaid wages, he just said: ‘You’re an Afghan migrant, get out, out, out.'” For all Afghans trapped in Iran – both those forced to flee and those who stayed in their homes – the 12-day conflict with Israel has sharply reawakened feelings of trauma and displacement. Furthermore, according to the Iranian health authorities, three Afghan migrants – identified as Hafiz Bostani, Abdulwali and Habibullah Jamshidi – were among the 610 people killed in the recent strikes. On June 18, 18-year-old Afghan labourer Abdulwali was killed and several others were injured in an Israeli strike on their construction site in the Tehranpars area of Tehran. According to the victim’s father, Abdulwali left his studies in Afghanistan about six months ago to work in Iran to feed his family. In a video widely shared by Abdulwali’s friends, his colleagues at the construction site can be heard calling to him to leave the building as loud explosions echo in the background. Other Afghans are still missing since the Israeli strikes. Hakimi, an elderly Afghan man from Takhar province in Afghanistan, told Al Jazeera that he hadn’t heard from three of his grandsons in Iran for four days. “They were stuck inside a construction site in central Tehran with no food,” he said. All he knows is that they retreated to the basement of the unfinished apartment building they were working on when they heard the sound of bombs, he explained. The shops nearby were closed, and their Iranian employer has fled the city without paying wages. Even if they have survived, he added, they are undocumented. “If they get out, they will get deported by police,” Hakimi said. During the conflict, UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett urged all parties to protect Afghan migrants in Iran, warning of serious risks to their safety and calling for immediate humanitarian safeguards. Afghan activist Laila Forugh Mohammadi, who now lives outside the country, is using social media to raise awareness about the dire conditions Afghans are facing in Iran. “People can’t move, can’t speak,” she said. “Most have no legal documents, and that puts them in a dangerous position where they can’t even retrieve unpaid wages from fleeing employers.” She also flagged that amid the Iran-Israel conflict, there is no government body supporting Afghans. “There’s no bureaucracy to process their situation. We dreaded an escalation in the violence between Iran and Israel for the safety of our people,” she said. In the end, those who did manage to evacuate from the most dangerous areas in Iran mostly did so with the help of Afghan organisations. The Afghan Women Activists’ Coordinating Body (AWACB), part of the European Organisation for Integration, helped hundreds of women – many of whom fled the Taliban because of their activist work – and their families to flee. They relocated from high-risk areas like Tehran, Isfahan and Qom – the sites of key nuclear facilities which Israel and the US both targeted – to safer cities such as Mashhad in the northeast of the country. The group also helped with communicating with families in Afghanistan during the ongoing internet blackouts in Iran. “Our capacity is limited. We can only support official members of AWACB,” said Dr Patoni Teichmann, the group’s founder, speaking to Al Jazeera before the ceasefire. “We have evacuated 103 women out of our existing 450 members, most of whom are Afghan women’s rights activists and protesters who rallied against the women’s education ban and fled Afghanistan.” Iran recently announced plans to deport up to two million undocumented Afghans, but during the 12-day conflict, some took the decision to move back anyway despite the dangers and hardships they may face there. World Vision Afghanistan reported that, throughout the 12-day war, approximately 7,000 Afghans were crossing daily from Iran into Afghanistan via the Islam Qala border in Herat. “People are arriving with only the clothes on their backs,” said Mark Cal, a field representative. “They’re traumatised, confused, and returning to a homeland still in economic and social freefall.” The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has voiced grave concerns about the deteriorating humanitarian situation for Afghans in Iran, adding that it is monitoring reports that people are on the move within Iran and that some are leaving for neighbouring countries. Even as Israeli strikes came to a halt, tensions remain high, and the number of Afghans fleeing Iran is expected to rise. But for many, there is nowhere left to go. Back in northern Tehran, Shamsi sits beside her daughter watching an Iranian news channel. “We came here for safety,” she says softly. Asked what she would do if the situation worsens, Shamsi doesn’t hesitate: “I will stay here with my family. I can’t go back to the Taliban.” This piece was published in collaboration with Egab. Follow Al Jazeera English:...