With ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ In Theatres, A Mother Shares What It Means To Raise A Star On Earth

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Aamir Khan's Sitaare Zameen Par has finally hit the theatres, and the film is drawing attention for its portrayal of neurodivergent children in sports. In a real-life parallel, Boldsky spoke exclusively to Niyateey Shah, mother of international powerlifter Prithvi Samrat Sengupta. Her journey with Prithvi, who has Down Syndrome, is one of acceptance, structure, and fierce commitment.

He has won gold medals at the Commonwealth Powerlifting Championship in South Africa, the Asian Bench Press Championship in Kyrgyzstan (2024), the Asian Powerlifting Championship in Malaysia (2023), and the National Powerlifting Championship in Kolkata (2024), with a total lift of 270 kg across squat, bench, and deadlift.

"Why Me?": A Difficult Start

When Prithvi was born, the diagnosis was kept from Niyateey for seven months. Her family feared she might go into shock and stop lactating.

"When I was told, my first reaction was 'why me?' For two to three months, I was indifferent to Prithvi. I was lost-my life and career were picture perfect and suddenly this happened. It takes time to accept."

She says anyone who claims to be immediately okay with such news is likely lying. "The first thing that comes to your mind is, how will you manage everything? Will your child ever be independent or always depend on you?"

The Turning Point: A Doctor's Advice

Dr. Shobha Sharma, a renowned paediatrician, advised that sports were essential.

"She told us these children have soft muscle tissues, and tend to become obese. She explained their structure, and said to keep him physically fit, and that we must put him into sports."

Foolowing which he was given a high-protein diet, and Sanket Arekar began coaching him for powerlifting him with patience and care.

Exploring Sports And Finding Strength

Before powerlifting, as a Gujarati family with no sports background, they kept experimenting-skating, football, and more.

"That's when I found he had amazing strength. I spoke to his father, who is Bengali, and he said maybe we can use that strength for something like powerlifting or weightlifting."

After talking to doctors and sportspeople, they realised weightlifting wasn't ideal due to the fragile neck that many children with Down Syndrome have.

"We chose powerlifting. Today if you see Prithvi, he has the neck of a powerlifter. But generally, kids with Down Syndrome have fragile necks and aren't even advised to do even horse riding."

A Coach Makes the Difference

"Till now he's had four coaches. Sanket Arekar, Late Madhukar Darekar who was a nine time national champion and was 89 years old when he coached Prithvi and Aman Vohra. Now, he's training with Aniket Kamle in Mumbai.

She emphasises how important coach selection is. "Even for normal children, it's important. But for a special child, the coach must have the right attitude and patience." She adds that children with Down Syndrome form emotional attachments and need emotional support too.

Keeping Him Engaged And Independent

"I've always tried to keep him busy. Special children don't have many friends. They go to special schools but most students come from far-off areas. Sleepovers aren't common." To fill that gap, she enrolled him in baking classes after a teacher noticed his interest. "Now he wants to be a powerlifter and a baker. He wants to make his own money and have a bakery." Today, he travels independently with his coach. "I don't travel with him. I took those tough decisions because I wanted him to be independent."

What People Miss About Children Like Him

"He's super persistent. If he makes up his mind, he will do it." From studying for exams on his own to working out twice a day, he shows discipline. He understands logic. "When you explain something to him, he eventually gets it. Like I told him: you have Down syndrome, that's why people look at you differently. I wanted him to accept it."

She recalls a time at the airport when they were asked to pay for extra baggage. "He walked up to the counter and said, 'I have Down Syndrome, these are my medicines, and if they don't go to Bombay with me it is not going to help my situation so please allow it.' The manager was so impressed she even gave us a lounge pass."

On Judgement And Acceptance

"I didn't care what the world thinks. Parents must have confidence in their child." She had done all the prenatal tests, and they were clear. "People judge saying maybe they smoked or drank, that's why the child is like that. It might be true but sometimes it's just destiny. That's why parents should stop hiding and focus on the child."

She says some parents don't even iron their child's clothes, thinking it doesn't matter. "They are slow learners but not daft", she points out. "We've always made sure Prithvi is dressed perfectly for every occasion. He's involved in everyday discussions. We talk about family politics. He has his own views. Their hearts are clean, and their views are cleaner." She adds, "He's sorted. He's compassionate. We hang out at cafes, and when he turned 18, we even went to a nightclub"

What Changed Everything

"I was going to quit my job, but my mother said-'you're not a special educator, you go out and earn to give him the best.' That was important." Another turning point? "Open-heartedly accepting that this is it and now we make the best out of it."

Just Like the Film

As Sitaare Zameen Par arrives in theatres, Prithvi's story lives out what the film portrays: children with Down Syndrome don't need pity, they need the right environment, the right support, and belief.