Aamir Khan's Candid Reflections on His Illustrious Film Career
Renowned as Bollywood's 'perfectionist' for his meticulous role selection and unwavering dedication, Aamir Khan recently offered a rare glimpse into his cinematic journey at the International Film Festival of Melbourne. In an engaging session with the audience, the actor revisited pivotal moments from his career, sharing candid insights and lesser-known anecdotes that reveal the evolution of his craft.
The Methodical Shift After 'Lagaan'
Discussing how his approach to filmmaking transformed over the decades, Aamir explained, "After 'Lagaan', I started doing one film at a time; before that, my producers and directors were not ready to work that way." He elaborated on his personal performance metrics, stating, "The way I judge my performances is what I have in my mind and the head of the character, have I been able to bring it in front of my audience, and then have I managed to be consistent."
Revisiting Iconic Roles and Performances
Reflecting on his breakthrough role in 'Raja Hindustani', Aamir acknowledged the character's flaws but expressed satisfaction with his portrayal. "Raja Hindustani was a good performance; he was a bit of an MCP, but the performance was consistent," he noted. The actor also highlighted his enjoyment while filming 'Secret Superstar', contrasting his disciplined real-life persona with the character's freedom. "In real life, I am very disciplined; my mom has brought me up in a certain way, so I never get to misbehave. In that film, I could do what I wanted, so I really enjoyed it," he shared.
The Marketing Misstep That Hindered 'Talaash'
Aamir revisited the 2012 thriller 'Talaash', co-starring Rani Mukerji and Kareena Kapoor Khan, pinpointing what he believes prevented the film from reaching a wider audience. "Talaash got a good response, but in that film we made one mistake, it could have done better, but our marketing was wrong," he admitted. "We marketed the film as a thriller; we should have marketed it as a supernatural thriller. We should have prepared the audience to expect the climax, which came as a surprise; the larger audience would have loved the film had we gotten the marketing right."
Despite this oversight, Aamir praised the film's quality, saying, "Talaash was a good film, very well shot, brilliant performances, but I feel we went wrong with the marketing. You can go wrong at any stage."
The Hilarious Discovery of 'Delhi Belly'
When an audience member mentioned 'Delhi Belly', Aamir recounted an amusing story about how he became involved with the project. "I was dying to do Delhi Belly, I wanted to do the role of the photographer," he began. The actor described a serendipitous evening when his wife Kiran Rao picked up an unread script from his desk while waiting for him. "She picked up the first one, went through it, picked up the second one, the third one, and suddenly she started laughing. I asked her what was so funny, and she was literally rolling on the floor with laughter. I thought that seemed to be a good script," he recalled.
After reading the script together and discovering it was written by two students from LA named Akshat and Jim, Aamir reached out to them. "I called them and asked if we could meet. They said they had been in Mumbai for the last three months trying to meet me, and they had just returned to LA the previous day failing to meet me," he explained. The writers returned to Mumbai, and the film was greenlit. Aamir revealed the unconventional delivery method: "Somebody had told them that they had to give the script to the cook in my house and tell the cook to keep it in my study. That's what they did, and I had no idea."
This expanded account from the Melbourne festival showcases Aamir Khan's thoughtful reflections on his career, blending professional analysis with personal anecdotes that highlight both his strategic mindset and the unpredictable nature of filmmaking.
