Aamir Khan Shares Shocking Cop Reaction That Forced Delhi Belly Rewrites
Aamir Khan recently opened up about a startling moment during the making of his 2011 production Delhi Belly. A police officer from his security detail gave him a brutally honest opinion that sent the team back to the editing room for years.
The Blunt Warning That Changed Everything
During a fan meet event, Aamir recalled the first test screening of Delhi Belly. The screening included his wife Kiran Rao, actor Imran Khan, music composer Ram Sampath, and about ten other people. Mumbai Police personnel who provided his security also attended.
"I was watching the film for the first time," Aamir said. "While watching, I thought, 'We've made a really bad film. It's on another level of bad.'"
After the screening ended, Aamir asked one of the police officers for his opinion. The officer's response left everyone stunned.
"Sir, whatever respect you have earned in the last 25 years, you are going to lose it all with this one film," the officer told Aamir bluntly.
Years of Revisions and Multiple Cuts
Delhi Belly went through numerous revisions before its final release. The film starring Imran Khan, Vir Das, and Kunaal Roy Kapur took three years to complete as the team kept creating new versions.
"When we watched the first cut, it didn't work for us," Aamir explained. "We went through several cuts. Jim Furgele, our co-producer, suggested an editor in Los Angeles. We tried a cut there too, but that didn't work either."
The initial version had significant problems with its humor and excessive use of abusive language. Aamir noted that when humor fails and profanity seems forced, the effect becomes worse.
"A lot of times, first cuts don't work. That's not unusual," he said. "But we managed to correct it. We sat down on it again a couple of years later, and then it finally worked out."
From Critical Warning to Marketing Strategy
Interestingly, the police officer's blunt reaction became part of the film's marketing campaign. The first teaser featured Imran Khan warning audiences with similar words: "Mamu is going to lose all his respect."
This created anticipation for what audiences could expect from Aamir Khan, who was primarily known for serious, socially conscious dramas like Lagaan and Rang De Basanti at that time.
Aamir Khan Productions' Diverse Film Slate
Aamir Khan's production house has maintained a reputation for diverse content over the years:
- Recent release: Vir Das and Kavi Shastri's detective comedy Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos
- 2024 comedy: Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies
- Upcoming project: Rajkumar Santoshi's period patriotic drama Lahore 1947
- Recent sports dramedy: RS Prasanna's Sitaare Zameen Par
This diversity was particularly evident in the early 2010s when the company released Delhi Belly in 2011, following Anusha Rizvi's satire Peepli Live and Kiran Rao's directorial debut Dhobi Ghat in 2010.
The journey of Delhi Belly shows how honest feedback, even when brutally delivered, can lead to significant improvements in creative work. Aamir Khan's willingness to listen and rework the film ultimately resulted in a cult classic that found its audience despite initial concerns.
