Aamir Khan is often hailed as the perfectionist of Bollywood, but even he has faced his share of box office failures and questionable choices. In a recent interview, the actor opened up about his film selection process, emphasizing that the story always takes precedence over the character he portrays.
Story Over Character
During a session at Whistling Woods, Aamir stated, "For me, what character I'm playing comes secondary. When I said yes to Dangal, it was because I loved the script. It's a great story with wonderful elements for everyone. Then I focused on my character, Mahavir. But I didn't say yes because of the character." Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Dangal featured Aamir as former wrestler Mahavir Phogat, who trains his daughters to become champions. Produced under Aamir Khan Productions, the film became one of Indian cinema's biggest global successes, crossing the Rs 2000 crore mark worldwide.
A Rare Misstep
However, Aamir admitted that there was one occasion when he prioritized his role over the script, and it backfired spectacularly. Referring to Thugs of Hindostan, directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, he said the decision "bounced very badly." He explained, "Thugs of Hindostan has a very normal story. It's Sholay." Drawing comparisons, he elaborated, "In Sholay, Thakur seeks revenge for his family's murder, and Jai and Veeru help him. In Thugs, Zafira's family is wiped out, and Firangi comes to her aid. It's a similar format. Jai and Veeru are heroes, but it's Thakur's story. Similarly, it's not Firangi's story; it's Zafira's."
Casting Changes Altered the Script
Aamir revealed that the final version of Thugs of Hindostan was significantly altered from its original script due to casting changes. "For casting reasons, we kept changing the script. I didn't realize it was a fundamental error, but it happens with everyone. We should not have changed the script even if we didn't get the desired casting. The film you saw is not the original script Victor Acharya wrote; it went through many changes."
Attracted to the Character
Despite considering the story average, Aamir was deeply drawn to his character, Firangi. "Firangi is an unreliable character. You never know when he's telling the truth. He's only about himself. I found him very attractive and engaging, with great moments," he said during the masterclass, organized in collaboration with Lodha Academy and Sivasailam Foundation.
Previous Regrets
This is not the first time Aamir has spoken about the film's shortcomings. In an earlier interview on Zee Music Company's YouTube channel, he admitted having reservations before release. "When the film was made, Adi (Aditya Chopra) and Victor liked it, but I didn't. I felt we went wrong structurally with the writing. I tried to convince them for eight months, but ultimately, they made the decisions. I accepted it because I have to follow them." Reflecting on the failure, he added, "I knew it wouldn't work. If I don't like it, why should the audience? So when Thugs didn't work, I didn't feel bad because I didn't like it either."
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