Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan, often hailed as 'Mr Perfectionist,' has once again opened up about the profound emotional toll that box office failures take on him. In a candid conversation with Zee Music Company, the actor revealed that he experiences deep emotional distress for months whenever one of his films fails to connect with audiences. He likened the rejection of a film to losing a child, emphasizing the personal nature of such disappointments.
Emotional Investment in Films
Aamir explained that he treats every project like his own child, making the audience's rejection feel deeply personal. He clarified that he was speaking figuratively and emotionally, not clinically. Reflecting on the heartbreak of audience disappointment, he said, "It breaks my heart when a film flops. At the end of the day, we make a film for our audience. When they buy a ticket and come to theaters to have a good time, and when they don't like a film, then there is a flaw in your work; the audience never decides intentionally to go and watch a bad film. If they are disappointed, there is a mistake you have made."
Dealing with Failure
The actor further elaborated on his coping mechanism, stating, "I go into depression for 2-3 months when a film doesn't work. A film is like your child; when it doesn't work or gets rejected, it is very painful. I feel it's important to mourn your losses. When your film doesn't work, it is like losing a child, so you should cry over it, give it time, so that it is out of your system and helps you move on."
Interestingly, just a week ago, Aamir's son Junaid Khan had spoken about how the actor was struggling to deal with the poor performance of the film Ek Din, which marked Sai Pallavi's Bollywood debut.
Reworking Films for Success
Aamir also discussed the filmmaking process, revealing that there have been instances when he sensed early on that a film was not shaping up well. However, he stressed that films can always be improved with patience and persistence. "Sometimes on a set you figure out a film is not going to work, it has happened very few times with me. When I see a film's first cut, I never fool myself; I look at it objectively. If I don't like it, there is something wrong with it," he shared.
He cited examples of films that underwent major changes before release, such as Delhi Belly, Taare Zameen Par, and Laapataa Ladies. "Delhi Belly's first cut was not nice at all; people didn't enjoy it. Then we reworked it. You can always correct a film if you want to; it requires lots of endurance, stamina, patience, and passion."
Audience Feedback and Real Success
According to Aamir, filmmaking is essentially about communication with the audience, and audience feedback plays a major role in helping filmmakers understand whether they have succeeded in conveying the intended emotion. "Filmmaking is communication; if you receive a different message, then I need to change my communication. This process starts after the first cut. I believe a lot in testing the film, so we call the audience and ask them how they liked the film. Based on their feedback and reaction, we gauge if the film is working. For me, real success is to manage to make what you set out to make," he said.
Meanwhile, Ek Din failed to perform well commercially despite receiving critical appreciation. According to Sacnilk, the film earned Rs 1 crore on its opening day. In 11 days, it managed to collect only Rs 4.25 crore in India and Rs 5.44 crore worldwide.
