The making of Taare Zameen Par was not without its share of drama. Aamir Khan, who produced and starred in the film, initially brought Amole Gupte on board as the director. However, Khan reportedly "lost confidence" in Gupte's ability to translate his vision onto the screen after the first week of filming. According to Darsheel Safary, who played the lead role of Ishaan Awasthi, Aamir Khan took over the directorial responsibilities after the first few days of shooting. Khan himself has stated that the initial dailies were a "great disappointment" to him. He felt Gupte's execution didn't match the beauty of what he had written.

Darsheel Safary recalled that Aamir Khan reshot an entire scene, instructing the actors to disregard the previous filming. He said that Aamir had stated that Amol Gupte would remain as the writer and creative director, while he would take over the direction. While Aamir Khan was credited as the director, Amole Gupte was credited as the writer and creative director. Gupte, however, revealed that he was present throughout the entire shooting process, enacting and rehearsing lines with the actors. He said that after the film was shot, Aamir Khan declared himself the director at the wrap-up party.

Despite the change in directorial roles, Taare Zameen Par was a critical and commercial success. The film addressed the struggles of an eight-year-old dyslexic boy and his journey of self-discovery through art. It also won the National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare.

In a 2021 interview, Amole Gupte addressed the fallout, stating that "there is always a sunrise after a sunset". He acknowledged that people had tried to dissuade him from challenging a superstar like Aamir Khan. He said that it was natural for people to support Goliath rather than David.

Reportedly, Akshaye Khanna was initially considered for the role eventually played by Aamir Khan. Amol Gupte wanted Akshaye but sought Aamir’s help for the connection. After hearing the script, Aamir decided to take the role himself.

Separately, reports have surfaced regarding the casting choices for Thugs of Hindostan, a period action-adventure film starring Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. According to some reports, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, and Shraddha Kapoor were approached for the lead female role but declined the offers. It was reported that Aditya Chopra, the producer, wanted them to sign the film "almost for free".

Deepika Padukone was initially associated with the project opposite Hrithik Roshan, who was the original choice for the lead. However, Hrithik left the film due to script differences, and Aamir Khan stepped in. When Deepika learned that Aditya Chopra intended to compensate Aamir handsomely but offer little to the female lead, she opted out. Alia Bhatt and Shraddha Kapoor followed suit for the same reason. Ultimately, Fatima Sana Shaikh, who had previously worked with Aamir Khan in Dangal, was cast in the role.

Thugs of Hindostan was released in 2018. While it boasted a stellar cast and a large budget, the film did not fare well at the box office.