Aamir Khan chats about 'Rang De Basanti'

Aamir Khan returned to the BBC Asian Network for Round 2 of Fan Interaction to promote UTV's recent blockbuster "Rang De Basanti", on 11th February. An excerpt of the exclusive hour-long chat:

Presenters: Aamir, how does it feel to hear such positive words from the world over for "Rang De Basanti"?
Aamir: It's a really wonderful feeling. When you a pick a film that is so unusual and different and also so bold in many ways and put in so much effort, the response of the audience is so important. When people appreciate my work so much and it goes down so well, it's both encouraging and heart warming. It's a feeling that is impossible to describe actually!

Bobby from Berkshire: Mr. Khan, once again congratulations on another outstanding and inspiring piece of work. I came out of the cinema energised and all fired up which brings me to my question, what is that motivates you and fires your passion?
Aamir: What in a general way motivates me is the desire to entertain and move people. Anything can inspire me, from watching a movie or reading a book, watching a tennis match or anyone doing exceptionally good work.

Bobby from Berkshire: So what is particularly provoking to you?
Aamir: Social issues, which we come across in our lives, almost everyday, sometimes things, which we see around that aren't fair. My attempt at doing a film like Rang De Basanti is a result of what I've been feeling as a human being. Cinema is how I can reach out to people and get them to think about issues.

Bobby from Berkshire: And how successful do you think you've been?
Aamir: I think in the past few years I have managed to pick films, which have addressed certain social issues in an entertaining manner and I'm happy that they have gone down well with people. So I think I've made some headway! (Laughs)

Bobby from Berkshire: Are you a man ruled by your head or your heart?
Aamir: I think primarily by my heart. When I say heart I mean my instinct or what I feel and usually then my head kicks in after that to see whether or not my heart is on track!

Bobby from Berkshire: Will you be doing any similar roles in the future?
Aamir: Well, I hope not similar because I would like to play different roles each time. Certainly, I'd like to have a mix of different kinds of films. I'd like to do a film that totally entertains but at the same time I'd like to do a film that picks up certain social issues

Partha (India): Does the end of the film justify the film's tag-line; a generation awakens?
Aamir: Well that's what the film is hoping to do. Very rarely can a film mobilise people but that's what the film is still trying to do. It is hoping to mobilise the youth, it is hoping at the very least to create debate and let's see what happens!

Nikhil (India): Sir, didn't you fear that your role would get overshadowed in the presence of so many important characters running parallel with yours?
Aamir: I don't look at films in that manner. I think that when I heard the script for the first time I really loved it and all the roles appeared to me equally important and no one role is small or less than the other. There are seven characters in the film, which are equally important and the role of DJ offered to me initially was a role I really enjoyed doing. So it never occurred to me that I would be overshadowed or overshadowing anyone else because that is not the bent of the film at all.

Nikhil: Were you not hesitant to take the role, as there were so many characters?
Aamir: No, I was not hesitant at all; I was very happy with the script and very keen to do the film and this doubt never came to me. When you are promoting a film, it is very important to tell the audience what it is about and you have to be honest in your marketing. So I think that in this case the marketing was really honest, it was not promoted just as my film, it was promoted as a group film and was constantly shown to be a group film.

Nimboo Achar: The film "Rang De Basanti" portrays today's youth to be quite irresponsible, loud and careless in the initial reels of the film. How much of a true representation do you think that this is?
Aamir: Well, I don't think all of the youth is irresponsible or wayward or doesn't have a purpose, I don't think that is what the film is trying to say either. It is taking up characters that happen to have no purpose in life. So it is probably addressing that section of youth, which is irresponsible and purposeless. I would imagine they would appreciate a film like this.

Umesh (Canada): Looking back at "Rang De Basanti", which one scene or more than once scene do you feel you could have done better? And which of the five characters do you personally identify yourself with?
Aamir: On a certain level I identify with all of them, there is a bit of each of us in all of them. Which scene could I have done better? You know there is a scene where I breakdown with Sue and that is a scene I feel I could have done better actually. I think it came out well but I feel…anyway it's a long story, doesn't matter! But I thought it could have come out better.

Pavan: Your character is not studying at the university but does not want to go away from the atmosphere. How did you research for that and can you relate to that?
Aamir: He is in fact studying there but keeps taking different courses and then changes to something else but doesn't want to leave. He just wants to keep studying and find excuses to stay on. How did I research that? I really didn't need to research that because I have been a student myself so playing a student was not something I had to research really.

Adarsh (from India): Were any of the attributes that were in the characters of Rang De Basanti in the character of Aamir Khan in his own college days?
Aamir: (Laughs) I've been asked this question so many times you know for so many of the characters I've played. Is Bhuwan ('Lagaan') like me? Is Akash ('Dil Chahta Hai') like me? Is ACP Rathod ('Sarfarosh') like me? I have no idea! It's so difficult to answer that, I guess there is a bit of me in all the characters and a bit of all the characters in me. That's the best way I can put it.

Harman (from the UK): Did you have to undergo training for the Punjabi accent?
Aamir: I was worried about the accent part of it because I am not from the North, not only am I not Punjabi but I am not from the North so I have not spent a lot of time with Punjabi speaking people. So I had to be really careful about it. I had a person called Prakash helping me and he was really good, he was actually meant to help Alice (Patten) with her Hindi but I think I used him more than she did! (Laughs)

Pablo: What kind of things did he help you with? I'm a Punjabi so it's very interesting to know!
Aamir: He took my lines, played with them a bit and said them in his own way. I would listen very carefully to the way he would pronounce certain words. He is from the North so he would also give me a few lines that Punjabi boys would say. For example, when my character is watching television and there is FTV on, these models are walking the ramp and the line, "Oi Kake, kamal da leg piece hai yaar" is a phrase that he cooked up and I just cracked up laughing. He gave me little phrases here and there and little words that added the flavour.

Sandeep (from the UK): Do you feel that the youth of India today are losing their historical ties with the heroes of the past? And was this one of the attempts of the film to address this in a contemporary setting?
Aamir: It will be a sweeping statement on my part if I say all the youth have lost touch with their past. I think a lot of the youth is very responsible and aware of what has happened in our past and what our forefathers have sacrificed. So a lot of the youth is very aware but certainly there is a lot of the youth whom are not aware and have moved on and have taken things quite lightly when regarding social issues. So the film without really preaching is trying to say, listen society, actually not only our society, it is for people all over the world. It is a universal thought, no matter where you live you have to be responsible to a certain extent about what is happening around you in society. If something has to be solved, all of us have to roll up our sleeves and get to it as opposed to just sitting, watching and blaming. That's the core of the film.

Harleen (from Australia): Who do you think has stolen the show in "Rang De Basanti"?
Aamir: All the actors have done their parts really well; I think Alice was wonderful as Sue and Soha delivered a really good performance. Each of the boys, Atul, Kunal, Siddarth and Sharman, were brilliant. Even Maddy (Madhavan) played his part well. I think it is quite impossible to compare one performance to another.

Pablo: Do you miss not hanging out together because I imagine you were quite a tight group whilst you were filming?
Aamir: Yeah, we got on really well and had a great time making the film. We still spent a lot of time together, although the film is released. Of course right now I'm shooting in Poland but until I left for Poland I was still hanging out with all the guys almost everyday and the moment I get back I will catch up with all of them again.

Simran (from Hounslow): Do you feel that the Indian youth living outside India should return to India?
Aamir: I think that is a personal decision that each person has to make. I don't think the film is commenting on that. Each person has to decide for themselves where they would like to live and what they would like to do with their life, so it's not really talking about coming back to India, it's about being a responsible human being. If you are an Indian living outside India and feel that you would like to do something for your country then you are most welcome to but what the film is really talking about is being responsible as a human being as opposed to an Indian.

Nikita (from Canada): How much do you enjoy working with different actors in the same film? You've done it twice now with 'Lagaan' and 'Rang De Basanti'.
Aamir: You're forgetting 'Dil Chahta Hai' where there were three of us! It's great fun to work with different actors, especially if you get along well and the group vibes well. In 'Rang De Basanti' it was an excellent experience with all the actors.

Milind (from Russia): What is the difference between Aamir the actor and Aamir the human being?
Aamir: I cannot comment on myself. My audience can decide what they think of me as an actor and people who are close to me; my family and friends, can decide what kind of a person I am.

Pablo: What kind of things do your friends say about you?
Aamir: They think I'm quite an obsessive person and feel I am also quite an extremist. So when I am doing something I do it to the fullest I guess!

Shivani (from India): Some of the elder generation didn't understand the film. Why do you think that was the case?
Aamir: I have met a lot of the audience from the older generation and they have really enjoyed the film so I don't think it has anything to do with age. So many films are made and so many films get different kinds of reactions. Even films that do really well and people love, their would be certain sections, even a small minority, who don't like the film, or they have not got it or it has not moved them. Films are so subjective so I'm sure there would be a small section that didn't like the film or didn't understand the film and I think they have a right to their opinion.

Omar (from Chicago): Will you be doing any more live performances?
Aamir: Well, I haven't done a live show since 'Dil Chatha Hai' but I do love interacting with my fans. Let's see if things work out, maybe in the second half of the year. Let me get back from Poland and see my schedule.

Guru: Does the state of the Hindu-Muslim relations in India worry you?
Aamir: I have to be honest and say yes. It's been worrying me for fifteen years now. I think the rise of the right wing was what caused me as a citizen to be alarmed, not as a Muslim but as an Indian. I think it's really important for all people that feel that way to come together and make a make a positive difference because I sincerely believe that there is no difference between two human beings. I think at this point of time in the world there is a great need for love and respect.

Bhavnai: From Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak till Rang De Basanti, how have you grown as an actor?
Aamir: I'm not a trained actor; I've not been to an acting school. For me the learning process has been whilst working. So I guess as your working, you hone your craft, you get better at your work and I have always tried to absorb from different areas. I love reading so I get a lot of input from reading and acting is really about trying to understand human beings, understanding different kinds of personalities and minds of people and that is one of the most important things for an actor. Of course then he has to execute that and bring out all those characteristics so observation is very important. It is a little difficult for me to comment on myself as to how I have improved over the years, maybe you can comment on that better? Have I in fact improved over the years and to what extent?!

Hassnain (from Germany): You started your career as an assistant director but after Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak you did not look back. So do you think you would ever go back to that?
Aamir: I would like to direct films at some point and I became an assistant essentially to learn about cinema and filmmaking. So that is a learning process for me and helped me in my work as an actor. I'm not ready for it yet but would at some point want to direct my own film.

Raj (from West Midlands): How did you feel when you visited the Golden Temple?
Aamir: I have to admit it was an amazing experience; the Golden Temple is the most peaceful place I have been to. When we walked in there, there is serenity to the place and there is live singing at all times, it's very difficult to explain in words but the place has a lot of pious ness, serenity and peace. If you get a chance you must visit the Golden Temple.

Raj: Do you have a final message for all your fans?
Aamir: I would like to thank everyone for the kind of response they have given the film. I am so happy with the way the film has been received; it is so encouraging for me and so heart-warming. I want to thank everyone for the love and respect they have always shown to my work and films. It's been a great experience doing Rang De Basanti and I'm happy to be a part of it. What else can I say? Thanks!