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| "The problem that the media has with me is that I don't use them" - Aamir Khan | ||||||||||||||
| By Faridoon Shahryar, June 20, 2007 - 04:04 IST | ||||||||||||||
| It's not everyday that you get to quiz Aamir Khan about movies, controversies and future plans. When we did get this opportunity we decided to make the most of it. Dressed in a blue T-shirt and shorts, he sipped on his cup of chai (in a designer mug with Bhuvan Uncle written on it) and answered all our queries. Animatedly, at times angry, most of the time in good humour with phases of nostalgia peppered in. By the end of it all we realized that it turned out to be The most detailed interview Aamir Khan has given in recent times. Let's get you down to the Q & A. At the launch of Lagaan DVD, you said that every Indian should have a copy of Lagaan. Why did you say that? I don't know why I said that. But judging by the response Lagaan had, it was a film that all Indians liked and enjoyed. I was feeling bad as I couldn't release the DVD for five years as I was under a contract. I have always propagated to my audience that they should not buy pirated copies of films. They should buy the original. Now, here was a situation that I could not release the original for five years. I was feeling bad about it. It was not available to fans to watch it. It was not available to people who want to watch it on a regular basis. Now, I am glad that they can do so.
I am not sure whether people will buy it. When you are putting something in market, you don't know whether it will sell or not. But that is what I felt for Lagaan. Before it was released if you asked me whether people would see the film, I would say I don't know. If you ask me whether people would watch Chale Chalo, I'd say I don't know, we'll see. I think it is great material. I think it's very entertaining. It has got drama, different emotions of each character. The only difference is that it is not fiction. It is real. It's actually happening. So, whatever really happened is shown on the film. Real drama went on in making this film. When I saw it for the first time, I was quite amazed what Satyajit Bhatkal (he is the guy who made the film) had made. He was one of the production people on the film. Chale Chalo is his point of view. He made it the way he thought he should. He is the narrator of the film. When I saw it I was blown. When you are busy in making a film you are so busy you don't realize in the heat of moment what all happened. When I saw Chale Chalo, I saw how we made Lagaan! There were so many problems, the budget went haywire, it almost got shelved in the middle. It's a very fascinating piece of film. It's the first of its kind available in India. It's a rare opportunity for Indian fans to see what actually goes on in making such a film.
I didn't agree with the shampoo that he was using (Laughs). I told him right at the start not to use it. On a serious note, you rightly pointed and noticed this thing as a viewer. That's an amazing observation. It didn't strike me as I saw him everyday. This is a film that records things as they are happening. You can't get away from the camera. Did success of Lagaan cement your belief in yourself further, considering you've been known for your risk taking ability, one film at a time policy? The success of Lagaan was extremely encouraging for me to pursue the kind of cinema I believed in. This is the kind of cinema I believed in. As a creative person I see all kinds of films becoming successful around me. Ninety percent of these successful films according to me are not good films at all. I don't want to take names but they are junk films. But their business, their collections are good. It rattles me. I ask, is this what the audience wants and where do I fit into this. Then when I make a film with my conviction, instinct and sensibility and that is appreciated by the audience universally in small towns, bigger towns, unconventional audience like France, Italy, USA and across the globe it gave me the confidence, the belief to go with my instinct. That means there are people all around who want to watch sensible films that are hugely entertaining but at the same time are great cinema. Or what at least I feel is good cinema because everyone's definition of good cinema could be different.
(Laughs) I lead life the way I think I should. For me talking honestly about a film is important. I am commenting on what my take on a film is. But I am not getting personal about it. There is a film I see, I can tell you whether I liked it or I didn't, why I liked it and why I didn't. It doesn't matter who has made it. It could be Karan Johar, Rakeysh Mehra or anybody. I am not commenting about the person. I am commenting about the film. Unfortunately the world that we live in, people are not able to take constructive criticism. Today, if I criticize a film and ten thousand people like it….they can still say yaar Aamir ko pasand nahin aayi, hamen pasand aayi…Leading my life… in an honest way, but that's the way I have been brought up. People have their own priorities. I want to lead my life in an honourable way. That's the way I will be comfortable with myself. I want to enjoy what I do. I am not doing ten films at a time to earn a hell lot of money. But that's not my priority. My priority is doing good films. And that good film can be a film about children, something that I am doing next Taare Zameen Par. It doesn't have a heroine. There is no romantic track. People would say….yeh to paagal ho gaya hai… Do you come in the second half of Taare Zameen Par? Laughs…These are all secrets…you'll have to see the film for that…
I attribute that to the way media is today. Whether it is TV channels or newspapers, the levels of reporting have fallen to a new low. They want to do something sensational. Create a controversy where there is none. Or show a celebrity in poor light. When you talk about a celebrity who is supposed to be upright, people say arre aisa hua….people start watching TV immediately. If you say Aamir Khan is a normal guy and he pays his taxes and is a straightforward kind of chap, then that's not news yaar. So, when you say that Aamir Khan on one hand claims to be supporting farmers and on the other hand is cheating the farmers by buying land then that's make news. Whether it is true or false, that goes on air. Every journalist who speaks to me has this snide expression….Achcha to aap bhi kisaan hain. Fact of the matter states that a son of an agriculturist is an agriculturist. My great grandfather was an agriculturist, then my grandfather, my father and his siblings are all agriculturist. I can't help it. It's short of disowning my family. By profession I am an actor. The other allegation in this regard, that I am supporting farmers and on other hand I am cheating farmers. Completely inaccurate. I have supported farmers and I continue to support them. I support anyone who is in the right and is being given an unjust situation, if I can raise my voice and create awareness I would love to do it. Not as a film-star but as an Indian. And nothing can stop me from doing bonafide business. When there is a farmer who has happily sold his land to me at the price that they wanted, it's a bonafide deal. What frustrates me is that according to me there are very few people in the society who are willing to take the kind of stand that I am taking and if the media continues to behave in this manner with me, I'd be discouraged. I'd say to hell with it. I'd say I am comfortable with my life why should I speak for other people. Ten other people who might have spoken after me would get discouraged. But the media supported you vociferously during the Narmada Dam controversy. There were loads of editorials, lots of journalists supported you…. But today why is the media saying that I am cheating the farmers. Why would I do this? For money…then I'd do two more films a year…there are other actors who are doing twenty ads…Can't I do! If I want to earn money there are ten thousand ways to earn money, why should I go and grab land of someone.
Another myth! I am the only actor who doesn't use the media. Let me bring to your notice…before the release of Fanaa I didn't give a single interview. Before Rang De Basanti I didn't give a single interview. Where have I used the media? I don't want to take names, just pick up the paper today and there are superb things written about celebrities (laughs). Different people from different walks of life are clearly doing things which are not doing honest. Two days ago some story is unearthed about them. Three days later, ten good things will be written about them. That is called using the media. The problem that the media has with me is that I don't use them. That's my personal feeling. They all know in their hearts that I don't use them.
It's too early to talk about the film. It is releasing sometime in December. But what I do want to tell you is that it is a superb story, a lovely script written by Amol Gupte and his wife Deepa who is also the editor of the film. She worked with him on the script and also researched with him. It's a story that I heard and fell in love with and wanted to be a part of. I also decided to act and produce it. Eventually I ended up directing it. We have finished shooting the film. It should release in December.
You know I don't want to give away the story. There's no point in me talking about it. I think it's better if people just see it. Then how about sharing your thoughts on the music of the film? It has seven songs, maybe eight. I am still thinking whether we should have the eighth song. The songs are quite unique, different and unusual. The songs are not romantic songs because there is no heroine. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy has done a great job in composing the songs. Prasoon has written the songs. In fact Amol has worked a lot on the songs. There is a huge contribution of Amol to the music of the film. Amol continues to be the creative director of the film. And he has supported me immensely in making the film. He has been with me every day of shoot. As my first directorial venture, Amol staying on, giving me the Sur of the film, helping me has contributed a great deal to my work. All of us have worked on trying to get on screen what he wrote as a writer. Why the title Taare Zameen Par? It's a film about children. And it's a film which is telling us that childen are special. Every child is special. That's why Taare Zameen Par. There are rumours about you doing Aditya Chopra's next with Hrithik and also that you are in Haroon Mirza's next? I am not aware of it. That's news to me. What's the status on Lajjo? I am not aware of the exact status on Lajjo. Mani and Bobby will be better people to answer this question. Kareena badly wants to work with you…First it was Vishal Bharadwaj's film that couldn't be made and now there's no clarity whether Lajjo will happen…. I have seen her work. She is a wonderful actress. I am extremely keen on working with her. I hope very soon in the future we can work together. What about your other production, Jaane Tu Jaane Na? I am producing this film written and directed by Abbas Tyrewala starring my nephew Imraan. He is also my cousin Mansoor's nephew. Mansoor has actually been the producer on the film since I was busy with Taare Zameen Par. I called him to supervise and help on this film. It's a lovely story. Genelia is the heroine. A R Rahman has done the music. The entire cast and crew has all young and enthusiastic people, and you can see that energy on screen.
Yes not only to A R Rahman but also to Shankar Ehsaan Loy. I've done it in the past. I have been giving royalties to Ashutosh Gowarikar for Lagaan. I believe that the person who writes or creates something is the original creator and deserves some percentage of the profits even as the time goes by. Are you going bald in Ghajini remake? Well, if you've seen the film, there are two time zones in the film. One is the past and the second is the present. In the past I have normal hair. In the present the character has a buzzed look. It's not completely clean shaven, it is buzzed. He has a bit of hair. So, will you be shaving off your hair? Yeah, I shall be buzzing my hair. Harris Jayraj's original music score is fabulous, what about the remake? I loved the original music score. In the Hindi remake, the music is being composed by A R Rahman who again of course is a very talented person. But I have to say I loved the original music score very much including the background score. I thought it was very good. I really liked the film. So, when I saw the film I was really taken aback for the kind of film that is is. On the script level we have changed five to ten percent towards the end of the film. Other than that we are making the same film. Asin is playing one female lead but there's a lot of speculation as to who is playing the second lead…Ayesha was supposed to do it earlier but now she isn't…. The casting is something I don't get involved with. I can give my suggestions to producer and director if they want it. In this case there are two female characters in the film. One is played by Asin who was a part of the original as well. She is playing the same role. The other girl is yet to be cast. Ayesha is a fantastic actress. I would love to work with her whether in Ghajini if the producers so decide or in any other film. Can she still be a part of Ghajini? They haven't done the casting yet so I don't know who they'll finalise. Ayesha is a very good actress. She is extremely talented and I would love to work with her. Rajnikanth mania has gripped the entire country with the release of Sivaji -The Boss. He is the highest paid actor in the country…Your take on him… I think he deserves to be the highest paid actor in the country. I've been a huge fan of Rajni gaaru for ages. I've loved his work. I've seen a couple of his Tamil films. I've seen a number of his Hindi films that he has done. I had the good fortune of working with him in a film called Aatank Hi Aatank. The film in itself didn't have much to write home about. But the experience of working with someone like Rajnikanth was a wonderful experience. Not only is he a very charismatic actor, extremely magical actor, extremely charming personality on screen but even in real life he is as charming. Your heart goes out to him. He is a person who is a winner of hearts. He is not trying to win your heart. He is just being himself. That's the greatness of the man. He is a very nice human being and the camera catches that. Somehow it gets translated on to celluloid. He deserves to be the superstar that he is. Having had a superb twenty year career, what are Aamir Khan's ambitions today? I would essentially want to continue making films that make a mark on Indian cinema. I'd like to be remembered as an actor who took on challenges which were very difficult, who was part of films which were extremely bold and challenging and still were big successes. Films which entertain, and yet are thought provoking. Not only would I want to act in them, I'd want to produce them as well and when the opportunity comes direct as well. People always said that Aamir Khan will turn a director… But now finally I have
Yeah not in a planned manner. I had thought that when I will take up directing I shall stop acting, take a two year break, get ready to make my first film, train myself as a director. Train myself in my weak points. I think I should learn more about music, have a better understanding of it and know how to use it. Train myself in animation, special effects. Areas that I am not familiar with. These are tools by which you shall tell the story. Unless you know your tools well you can't tell your story well. There are certain tools that I still need to grapple with. I had thought that I would like to do that, spend time with the script that I m going to direct. But as they say when you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. So, obviously He had other plans for me. And so I ended up directing my first film in situations which are extremely difficult and I am also acting in the film which made it even tougher. Lots of stories were circulating while Taare Zameen Par was under production. People felt that maybe if Aamir Khan could clarify his stand, it would be great? Sure, what are the stories you want to clarify. There were stories about fights with Amol Gupte…. Amol Gupte is the writer of the film. I have the highest regards for him. He was originally the director of the film. We had some creative difference and then we mutually decided that I should take over as the director. I first offered him that he can direct the film for someone else and I can step back as the actor and producer. But he felt that I continue as producer and actor and rather he would step back. So, based on our mutual discussions, we decided that I should take over as the director. He continued to be with me right through the shooting of the film. And has been a great asset to me in my first venture. He has guided me in a lot of places. And has been a big support. Which of your movies according to you can be made into a sequel? The only film that I can think of off hand which would make a good sequel is Sarfarosh. I think that is one film that is ready for a sequel. The characters are there. It has ended on a note which ACP Rathod and his team can take on another case. Or ACP Rathod is now maybe a DCP, has been promoted, five years later, times have changed. Other films have ended. You can't have a sequel to Rang De Basanti. Not with us at least as we've died. Fanaa has ended.
It's a huge success as a film. Maybe not theatrically when it was released. But as a film it was a huge success. If someone can come up with a script that is a good runup to Andaz Apna Apna, then it could be. Any remakes? I am already doing one….Ghajini is a remake… |
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