Aamir unplugged( good interview)

He's the most respected actor in the industry today, who prides himself on always taking his work seriously. For 19 years, Aamir Khan has given us sparkling, refreshing performances that are just as entertaining as they were. He is now all set with his directorial debut Taare Zameen Par which releases on December 21. But how well does he know his own films? CNN-IBN Entertainment Editor Rajeev Masand quizzed him and look what answers he got:

Rajeev Masand: In Lagaan, what's the name of the little boy with whom Bhuvan plays cricket while first demonstrating the game to the villagers?

Aamir Khan: Tipu.

Rajeev Masand: Question two. In Rang De Basanti, how many ago has DJ passed out of the university, even though he is still hanging around on campus.

Aamir Khan: Six years?

Rajeev Masand: No.

Aamir Khan: Five years?

Rajeev Masand: Correct. When we are introduced to Munna in Rangeela, we see him selling movie tickets in black. How much is he selling them for?

Aamir Khan: He's charging Rs30 for Rs10 tickets.

Rajeev Masand: Absolutely right. What's the name of the overweight girl in Dil who gets to kiss the boy who loses the boxing match?

Aamir Khan: Oh my God. Rani? Baby?

Rajeev Masand: It's Miss Mimi. What's the name of the newspaper for which Raghu Jaitley works in Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin?

Aamir Khan: I don't know this one. Tell me.

Rajeev Masand: Daily Toofan.

Aamir Khan: Daily Toofan. I know it all but some things slip out. Now I remember.

Rajeev Masand: What's the name of the cafe for which Sanju works in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar?

Aamir Khan: Something Lal Cafe.

Rajeev Masand: Ram Lal Cafe.

Aamir Khan: I should have got these. They are good questions though, I must say.

Rajeev Masand: They have been picked by your fans. In Hum Hain Raahi Pyaar Ke, what were the names of the three children who your character adopts?

Aamir Khan: Munni is one of them. The little boy is Kunno?

Rajeev Masand: Vicky is the elder boy and the younger one is Sunny.

Aamir Khan: His real name is Kunal Khemu.

Rajeev Masand: Yes. In Dil Chahta Hai, when your character, Akash, sees a woman's portrait made by his friend Sid who does he say the face reminds him of?

Aamir Khan: She reminds him of his teacher, his French teacher, physics teacher?

Rajeev Masand: Economics teacher. Her name?

Aamir Khan: Miss Kashyap. I got it.

Rajeev Masand: Shakti Kapoor plays Crime Master Gogo in Andaaz Apna Apna. Who does he say he's a relative of?

Aamir Khan: He's a relative of Mogambo.

Rajeev Masand: Yes. What relation?

Aamir Khan: Nephew.

Rajeev Masand: Correct. By what name do they refer to the dangerous race on the railway track in Ghulam?

Aamir Khan: Das das ki daud.

Rajeev Masand: What score does Bhuvan's team need to make in order to win the match in Lagaan?

Aamir Khan: Its 322!

Rajeev Masand: 322 they make..

Aamir Khan: So 323.

Rajeev Masand: We'll give you that. What's the first tourist spot Rehan takes Zuni and her friends to in Fanaa.

Aamir Khan: They go to Red Fort.

Rajeev Masand: You went drag for the first time in Baazi. What's the name of the character you play in the drag?

Aamir Khan: Julie Braganza.

Rajeev Masand: Correct. What prank do you play on Madhu (Juhi Chawla) for which you, Raja, get a slap in Ishq?

Aamir Khan: I think it's because I scare her as a ghost.

Rajeev Masand: Yes. Last question. What's Munna's best friend's name in Rangeela?

Aamir Khan: Pakiya. Not bad.

Rajeev Masand: Yes, not bad at all. Do you watch a lot of your movies?

Aamir Khan: No, I don't. Usually when a film is in the post production stage, I see it thousands of times. But once it releases, I see it in the theatre with the audience. The audience doesn't know I'm there. I go to different theatres and I try to get a sense of how they are reacting.

Rajeev Masand: Do you have any interesting experiences from there?

Aamir Khan: Yes, quite a few. I remember watching Hum Hain Raahi Pyaar Ke when the song Ghoonghat came on. The entire audience got up and started dancing. It was so heart-warming to see your audience love the film. That's priceless, more than what money can ever buy.

Rajeev Masand: Were there films whose failure completely broke your heart?

Aamir Khan: Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar did well but I was expecting it to do much better. Incidentally it was a huge success on DVD and TV. People loved the film. I know it is a cult film.

Rajeev Masand: Is it true of Andaaz Apna Apna also?

Aamir Khan: The failure of Andaaz Apna Apna had not disappointed me because the release of the film was so pathetic that no film could have survived that. I didn't blame the film for that but it went on to be one of my most popular films of all times. On my blog it is constantly referred to as one.

Rajeev Masand: They are quoted back to you I guess. I am sure that the lines are such that they come back to you all the time.

Aamir Khan: No, really the lines have become famous like amar prem… All the lines.

Rajeev Masand: You are an actor who is very particular about the work that you do so the obvious question is—was there ever a film that you signed without reading the script?

Aamir Khan: Yes, in my entire career there is one film that I have done without reading the script.

Rajeev Masand: Only one! It is a very good track record actually.

Aamir Khan: Yes, and that's Awwal Number which Dev (Anand) saab produced and directed. I am huge fan of his and somehow I could never bring myself to insist on an entire narration.

Rajeev Masand: Did you cringe when you saw it?

Aamir Khan: I will keep that to myself.

Rajeev Masand: Now you have turned a director yourself with Taare Zameen Par, a film about children, special children and parenting. Did it make you a better parent working so closely with children, understanding and guessing a lot of challenges that a lot of parents and kids face, what did it do for you as a parent?

Aamir Khan: I think that the script did that to me. After reading the script I got much more sensitised towards my children and towards children in general. I believe that is the effect the film is going to have, at least that is what I hope.

It is an extremely important film for the bulk of the country to see because kids are our future and our life so it is really important that we sit back and re-look at how we look at them.

I get excited about the work I do and when I do a film I totally get engrossed in it that everything around it diffuses that includes my family and kids. So we have to find a balance between that and apart from that there has to be a genuine desire to connect on a one-to-one with your kids and have that special relationship with them, and I have that in me.

There is a lovely sher by Nida Fazli which also reflects one of the aspects of the film really well. And I hope I am getting it right.

Haath badhakar in bacchon ko chand sitare chunne do. Chaar kitabein padkar yeh bhi hum jaise banjaenge. (Let the children reach out and touch the stars and the moon. They will become like us after reading four books).

This is childhood so let them feel free in doing what they want to do to and rise beyond themselves in us.

Rajeev Masand: Best of luck Aamir. We are eagerly looking forward to see Taare Zameen Par seeing you in your new role as a director.

Aamir Khan: Thank you.