Aamir's Interview

shefali_123 thumbnail
19th Anniversary Thumbnail Dazzler Thumbnail Engager Level 1 Thumbnail
Posted: 17 years ago
#1

THE RECLUSIVE TAARA

< content=11/25/2007 name=date>
In a rare, candid interview with Anil Thakraney, Aamir Khan speaks his mind on cinema, public service, stuff that interests him, and stuff that doesn't, including Bhansali's Black, KJO's Koffee and Madam Tussauds
Back to Section Stories Posted On Sunday, November 25, 2007

Anil Thakraney


There are movie stars and there are movie stars, and then there's Aamir, truly an actor in a league of his own. He takes enormous risks, passionately follows his instincts, asks tough questions from his directors, lives on his own terms and zealously guards his personal life. And keeps away from the media, unmindful of the massive speculation on his relationships. And perhaps the only reason this usually out of bounds taara has descended on the media zameen is to promote his new film… lurking inside that highly creative mind is a businessman who understands the film dhandha like few others do.

On questions relating to his tumultuous relationship with his brother, Aamir, while reluctant to wash the dirty linen in public, does admit it's wrong to assume he is sitting back and doing nothing after the court directed custody of his ailing bhai to their father. "I am very closely involved," he reassures. He would be. Because there's nothing in life Aamir does half-heartedly. Because that's just him.

So what's Taare Zameen Par about?

It's about children, childcare and education. The subject sounds serious, but the script is extremely moving, engaging and uplifting. It makes you rethink about how you look at children.

And there will be ingredients for commercial success.

For me, cinema's primary responsibility is to entertain. If I want to educate you, I will start a school or a college. And while we entertain, if we can pass on something that makes you ponder, then it's great. Right through my career in films which had a social message, I have ensured people get the entertainment. In cinema, we have to connect with people emotionally and intellectually. It's a mass medium, after all.

What was the disconnect with Amol Gupte, the writer who was originally directing the film?

Amol has worked for many years with children and he's written a beautiful script. And he was the director initially. After one week of the shoot, I had some creative differences with him.

And these were?

I can't share those because Amol is a friend. I did what I thought was most fair. I offered to back off as the actor and producer. But Amol wanted me to stay on as producer and director. He is the creative director of the film and he helped and guided me. He was there through the shoot, and was a big help. Since I was acting as well, he was a great bouncing board for me, as Amol is an accomplished actor himself.

You are regarded as a bit of a pain in the industry. You ask many questions, you get too involved with direction, Ram Gopal Varma told me he has no patience for your style of working.

I work the way I do and am passionate about it. Of the directors I have worked with, majority of them value the way I work. Rakyesh Mehra, Kunal Kohli, Ashutosh Gowariker, Farhan Akhtar, many of them. I have done about 35 films so far and have enjoyed working with my directors. To be honest, I did not particularly enjoy working with Ramu, and he has his opinion of me. But whenever he speaks to me, he is very appreciative of the working relationship we had. But in interviews, he says different stuff.

You interfere too much.

I do not interfere, and you can check that with the other directors I have worked with.

In your personal life, you keep away from the frat. No parties, no events, no award ceremonies, you are a recluse. Am sure Karan invited you for Koffee, and you turned him down.

Oh yes, he did and I turned him down. I am actually very fond of the industry, and protective of it. I do attend parties and spend time with colleagues though I do it to a lesser extent than the others. I have some priorities, which is work and family. When I am doing a film, I get so engrossed in it, I find it difficult to pull myself out of it.

You even refused to go for the Om Shanti Om song…

(Laughs.) Yes, I did. I was busy directing my film.

Come on, you could have taken out a few hours for your frat…

I am very particular about my work. So even if it's a two-minute appearance, I am extremely particular about what I will do. So I need to be convinced about what I am doing. If I am not happy, then I would not like to do. In this case, since I was very busy with my own film, I could not take time out for it.

This song was a no-brainer, Aamir. Shake a leg with Shah Rukh for a few moments and leave. So it demands no intellectual discussions.

I need to know, is this a film I want to be a part of? Even if it's for a one-minute appearance. I care about what I am doing. Shah Rukh is a friend, a great actor, and I believe the film is very successful. But without reading the script, I will not do a film, and I did not have the time to get into that exercise.

Any Indian directors you really admire?

Among the ones I haven't worked with, Raju Hirani and Mani Ratnam.

What about Sanjay Leela Bhansali?

I saw Devdas and Black. He's talented, but these films disappointed me.

Everyone raved about Black…

I didn't like the film. I found it very insensitive, it sends out very wrong signals. It was extremely manipulative. I could see the effort in the manipulation, and the art of the director is in not letting you see the manipulation. Also, the sensibility wasn't right for me, I couldn't make out if they were living in a house or a museum or a library or a church. The performances were over the top. And most importantly, it was about a child who had these problems, an alcoholic person comes and says you have to leave her alone with me for forty days, and he slaps her around. I don't know of any parent who'd agree to that. Black reminded me of The Taming of the Shrew, and I found that very disturbing. It was a film about 'I can teach a bear how to dance'.

What about the surreal treatment in Bhansali's films?

In all humility, to me, the subject matter of a film dictates the form. In his films, the form seems to be heavier. I have nothing against surreal treatment, it's just that it should be led by the subject matter. Each story calls out for a certain form.

I didn't like the film. It was insensitive and manipulative. It was a film about 'I can teach a bear how to dance'. - On Black

The one thing that turns you on when you read a script.

Firstly, I react to the script as an audience. Factors like whether I want to do it or not, I don't allow them to enter the space. And if I love it as an audience, then I want to do it. So it's about instinct and emotion. Also, I like the director to narrate the script to me. To see whether he has the fire inside him, whether he has a story to tell. Only then, when we get down to working on it, do we get to the structure. And, every film I do, I want it to be economically viable. So I try and gauge the scope of the film, what is the minimum it will make. This is because I don't want anyone to lose money on my films.

Why does that matter so much?

It is a business at the end of the day. I don't want someone to be selling his house because the film is a creative high for me. I don't like to be irresponsible. Also, if it doesn't work, it's one cross against my name.

I have always thought of you as an actor with a very shrewd business head.

I have grown up in a household of filmmakers, my father and uncle were filmmakers. My father went through a lot of rough times while producing his films. He made a film called Locket that went out of schedule. And he went to the brink of bankruptcy. And I have seen him go through that.

Yash Chopra offered you Darr, you turned it down.

I didn't turn it down. (Hesitates.) Do we have to go into this?

Yes!

(Laughs.) I didn't turn it down, I was removed from the film.

Why?

I wanted a joint narration with Sunny Deol, which was denied to me.

I was told you wanted to know the exact number of punches you would deliver on Deol and vice versa.

Not true. I asked for a joint narration which I was denied. I believe filmmaking is a team effort, and all the actors should sit down together and hear the script.

Is it because you felt Yash Chopra was telling Deol one thing and you something else?

I wanted a joint narration. (Smiles.)

• Why the urge to blog?

It began when we were releasing the DVD of Lagaan, six years after its release. And Excel, who bought the rights, were keen on promoting it in different ways. One of the suggestions was for me to start a blog. But for me that lasted just two posts. I enjoyed what I was doing, for the first time I was connecting with the audiences one-to-one. So I took it further. And then I started my own website.

And these days you are using it to promote Taare…

Certainly not. It's just that at this point of time that's what happening in my life.

The Narmada project. What made you get involved? A craving to be involved with social issues?


If we want things to improve in our country, then it's everyone's responsibility to be more involved. To voice what they feel. That's what Rang De said essentially.

Some people said it was a Rang De hangover…

No. I was in Delhi for a book release and happened to pass by. It was an impulse decision.

• Did you regret it later following the backlash, people said Aamir landed up without doing adequate homework on the issue?

No, that's not true. I fully understood the issue before I went there. That people needed to be rehabilitated was important to me.

The problem is you didn't follow it through.

I did go and make a strong point. And if I become a full time activist, I would be involved longer. I was trying to create awareness on the issue and I think I did that. I don't know what I can do beyond that, unless I stop being an actor and become a social activist.

Given Bollywood's mass appeal, should it not get more involved in issues that plague the nation?

Why just Bollywood? What about the business community? The real strength lies with the huge business houses and I don't see them making a statement. They can contribute financially and even in terms of moral and policy decisions that would benefit the society.

• How come you haven't yet been approached by Madam Tussauds? Even Salman made it there.

It's not important to me. I have been approached but I am not interested. People will see my films if they want to. I can't deal with so many things, I have bandwidth only for that much. So things that don't interest me, I just let them pass. Each one has their own priorities on what interests them.

A bone to pick with you. You don't approve of the Indian media of today, and yet during a film's release you meet us.

When Rang De released I did not give a single interview. Not even when Fanaa released. So how can you say that? Post that, a lot of journalists who are friends of mine, told me that people like me, instead of cutting away from the media, should be a part of it. And try and change things by being within it. And that made sense to me.

My father went through a lot of rough time while producing his films. He went to the brink of bankruptcy

http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmpaper.aspx?Page=article&am p;sectid=47&contentid=20071125200711250423599216fdf5ca4

Created

Last reply

Replies

97

Views

5.7k

Users

24

Frequent Posters

pinky no1 thumbnail
20th Anniversary Thumbnail Rocker Thumbnail + 2
Posted: 17 years ago
#2
he is a genuine person,very nice answers 😛
145665 thumbnail
Posted: 17 years ago
#3
wht a honest perosn i really loved 2 read his interview
thx 4 sharing
r_tvfan thumbnail
19th Anniversary Thumbnail Voyager Thumbnail
Posted: 17 years ago
#4
Aamir is so honest about everything.
193980 thumbnail
Posted: 17 years ago
#5

Everyone raved about Black…

I didn't like the film. I found it very insensitive, it sends out very wrong signals. It was extremely manipulative. I could see the effort in the manipulation, and the art of the director is in not letting you see the manipulation. Also, the sensibility wasn't right for me, I couldn't make out if they were living in a house or a museum or a library or a church. The performances were over the top. And most importantly, it was about a child who had these problems, an alcoholic person comes and says you have to leave her alone with me for forty days, and he slaps her around. I don't know of any parent who'd agree to that. Black reminded me of The Taming of the Shrew, and I found that very disturbing. It was a film about 'I can teach a bear how to dance'.

😛😊 would love to read SLB's reply to this.

raunaq thumbnail
18th Anniversary Thumbnail Sparkler Thumbnail
Posted: 17 years ago
#6

Originally posted by: Maya_M


😛😊would love to read SLB's reply to this.



i didnt like devdas, i loved black, but i also like the way amir has bluntly given his opinion, i do agree on his part where he mentioned he couldnt figure out if they were living in a church or museum 😆 😆 😆
Edited by raunaq - 17 years ago
joie de vivre thumbnail
18th Anniversary Thumbnail Voyager Thumbnail Engager Level 1 Thumbnail
Posted: 17 years ago
#7

Originally posted by: Maya_M

😛😊 would love to read SLB's reply to this.

Well,SLB hasn't replied,but Big B definitely has!

http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2007/november/167389.htm

Antlers thumbnail
17th Anniversary Thumbnail Sparkler Thumbnail Engager Level 1 Thumbnail
Posted: 17 years ago
#9
Do you know why aamir does only one film a year? because he wants his people to know what kinda of work he does...that's a shity one 😉
raunaq thumbnail
18th Anniversary Thumbnail Sparkler Thumbnail
Posted: 17 years ago
#10
^^^i dont get it, what do you mean by his people to know what kind of work he does thokar? 😕 😕 😕

Related Topics

Bollywood Thumbnail

Posted by: oyebollywood

10 days ago

Bollywood Thumbnail

Posted by: Rosyme

21 days ago

Aamir Khan singing in a comedy movie.

https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/aamir-khan-reveals-singing-two-songs-next-comedy/

https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/aamir-khan-reveals-singing-two-songs-next-comedy/
Expand ▼
Bollywood Thumbnail

Posted by: Sultan.Mirza

1 months ago

Aamir Khan STOLE the film from Salman Khan

Salman wanted to do the remake of that Italian film on which Sitaare Zameen par had been made, he share this with Aamir. Instead of leaving it...

Expand ▼
Bollywood Thumbnail

Posted by: oyebollywood

3 months ago

Aamir Khan - Mahabharat

https://x.com/BOWorldwide/status/1914598060363010193

https://x.com/BOWorldwide/status/1914598060363010193
Expand ▼
Bollywood Thumbnail

Posted by: oyebollywood

26 days ago

Did Aamir Khan Reveal Already Being Married To Gauri Spratt

https://www.indiaforums.com/article/did-aamir-khan-reveal-already-being-married-to-gauri-spratt_224455

https://www.indiaforums.com/article/did-aamir-khan-reveal-already-being-married-to-gauri-spratt_224455
Expand ▼
Top

Stay Connected with IndiaForums!

Be the first to know about the latest news, updates, and exclusive content.

Add to Home Screen!

Install this web app on your iPhone for the best experience. It's easy, just tap and then "Add to Home Screen".