Aamir Khan Productions recently released the trailer of the movie, Sitaare Zameen Par, creating a buzz among the audience. The movie’s trailer and title have instantly stirred nostalgia for Taare Zameen Par. But the latest film tells a different story. If there’s one similarity between the two movies, it’s the emotional value they carry. It’s been 18 years since the release of Aamir Khan and Darsheel Safary’s Taare Zameen Par. And we still cry endlessly seeing Ishaan Awasthi’s heartbreaking moments in the movie. But do you know the child actor Darsheel couldn’t even sob for a minute on camera?

Related: Sitaare Zameen Par Trailer: Genelia Deshmukh Is Back And We Can’t Wait To See Her On The Big Screen

Aamir Khan’s struggle with Darsheel Safary in Taare Zameen Par

A throwback video shared by Aamir Khan Talkies, reveals what Aamir said about Darsheel’s crying sequences in the movie. He said, “Very early on in the film, I realised that Darsheel finds it very difficult to cry. And that is the one area that I had to really work on with him.” Being a perfectionist, Darsheel’s continued mistakes sometimes annoyed Aamir.

The actor revealed, “Because I’d expect him… I mean, he was just nine years old when we were shooting the film. So, there used to be times when I used to get impatient with him when he used to make a mistake. Then I had to remind myself that, ‘Aamir, you’re talking to a 9-year-old kid, at least give him some time.’ But because he was too sharp, even I got into that mode of treating him as an equal, if I can say that.” Aamir then taught him the skill to cry on screen. Here’s how.

The art of crying ft. Aamir Khan

In a recent interview at the WAVES Summit 2025, Aamir shared what Darsheel said that surprised him. He said, “Darsheel came and said, ‘Aamir uncle, I don’t know how to cry… I have not cried in my life…’ Now, how do I make him cry?” He then came up with a plan and asked Darsheel, “You don’t have to cry. Don’t take tension. But can you copy me? Then, copy my breathing.”

Aamir Khan explained how “breathing breaks when we cry. The internal and external breathing pattern gets distorted.” So, he enacted heavy breathing, almost hyperventilating for a moment. Aamir then asked Darsheel to mirror the rhythms of the broken breathing in the same manner as him. He said, “Now, imagine your stomach is aching. How will your face look? Now, do the broken breathing and simultaneously imagine the feeling of having a stomach ache. That is crying, in a simple way.” And that’s how the child actor aced the skill and made us all cry with him.

This skill fascinated the 9-year-old Darsheel as he could now cry in the most real way possible without shedding even a tear in reality. “He (Darsheel) got excited. He thought, ‘Oh, this is crying.’ So, he’d cry repeatedly. In a corner, he’d do the broken breathing and cry while he’s not really crying,” Aamir shared.

Featured Image Source

Related: Aamir Khan’s Rejected Audition For Laapataa Ladies: Why He Lost The Role To Ravi Kishan