To catch a star: Aamir Khan

He doesn’t attend award functions, he is a Bollywood star and when it comes to box office figures he is the real king. He is the man of his own principles—CNN-IBN’s Rohit Khilnani spoke to Aamir Khan.

Rohit Khilnani: You live by your principles and I’m going to start talking about this. You have always maintained a dignified reserve and you don’t attend any award functions either. Tell me is it difficult?

Aamir Khan: What…? Not to attend award functions?

Rohit Khilnani: No, no. I mean is it difficult to just be a recluse and not be a regular on the page three circle?

Aamir Khan: By and large I’m very comfortable with the way I’m leading my life. I do things I believe in and do them on my terms. I try and lead as fair and just a life as possible. It hurts sometimes because I realise that I’m not playing the game in open, I’m not interacting with the media, not making personal friends with various journalists etc.

So certain things that are written about me are mostly untrue and malicious. Sometimes media people take pot-shots at me. And it’s because I’m not playing the ‘game’ and I’m a recluse as you just said. The way I’m leading my life results in certain people hitting at me. Other than that I think, I’m quite comfortable with the way things are going.

Rohit Khilnani: I will get the media angel again. But tell, also being a part of the industry and yet not being a part of any camp is as difficult as running a parallel cinema or a parallel industry. Do you face difficulties on those lines?

Aamir Khan: I face difficulties at a certain level, but by and large, no. I am doing films that I want to do. I do scripts that I want to do, work with people that I’m comfortable working with. It affects me only in certain perceptions that are sent out. I don’t think I’ll ever be called the number one in Indian cinema, despite the fact that I’m the only actor who pulls in an audience irrespective of the fact who else is there in the film or who’s producing or directing it.

That’s a fact that I have to face up to.

Rohit Khilnani: Aamir Khan, you don’t think you are number one?

Aamir Khan: I think I am number one, but I will never be called that. The definition of a star is that how many seats he fills in, in the first week, irrespective of the fact who else is there in the film or what its about or who the director and the producer is. Singularly if you can pull an audience, for me that’s what makes a star. Not how many film magazines call you a star.

Rohit Khilnani: On the other side if I go and ask the media, they will turn around and say Aamir Khan uses the media. How do you take that allegation?

Aamir Khan: I think it’s a childish allegation. I’m probably the only actor who doesn’t use the media. I do not have friends who write good things about me in the press. Just to give an example, the last two films I did—Rang De Basanti and Fanaa—for both of them I did not give a single interview to any channel or any journalist for its promotion. So, where am I using the media? Every star these days is seen on TV channels and magazines talking about the films just before the release. But for my films, I did not give a single interview. And there is a reason for that. In the last year and half or two years I found that I couldn’t handle what had happened to the media.

Rohit Khilnani: But if someone has a story that he wants to clarify with you, you are not that easy to reach. Tell how does then anybody get in touch with you?

Aamir Khan: Well, I accept that. Once I’m working on a film, then I kind if isolate myself from everybody not only from the media. I isolated myself from friends, colleagues—everyone. I like to just be in my own space. I find it difficult to remove myself from that space and address other issues, which perhaps at that point of time are not so important. If there is something crucial and important of course I will try and pull myself out. May be I should be more accessible or available to the media and the press when they need to clarify something with me. But the flip side to this is that there are so many absurd stories going around that I’ll have to clarify something everyday. One day the press reports that my wife Kiran is pregnant. And the next day they report that we are going through a divorce or a separation. I want to ask these people if they have any idea what are they talking about.

Rohit Khilnani: Okay coming to something different now. Shah Rukh Khan at an awards function said Aamir Khan doesn’t attend awards. He goes only for the Oscars. How would you respond to that?

Aamir Khan: Shah Rukh is a close friend of mine and he loves taking pot shots at me. The fact is that I have no objections to film awards per say. I just feel that if I don’t value a particular film award, then I wont go attending it either. Apart from the national award, I don’t see any other award ceremony that I should give value to. My personal experience about these award ceremonies is that I don’t trust them. I have no faith in them so I would prefer to stay away.

Rohit Khilnani: How do you trust Oscars so much?

Aamir Khan: I don’t. At that time when I went I did not know this. So I don’t know whether I can trust this entity or not. But that is not a reason for me not to go. Here I know that I don’t trust them so definitely I am not going.

Rohit Khilnani: Soon after that Salman did the same thing. He went on the stage and there was a trophy for you that he picked up and said “Aamir doesn’t go for award functions…”

Aamir Khan: Salman and Shah Rukh are both friends and we all get along really well. So I don’t really mind if they take digs at me.

Rohit Khilnani: I did not know that you three are friends. Is there any scope of working together? You worked with Salman in what is seen like a cult film—Andaz Apna Apna.

Aamir Khan: Yes why not. I would love to work with Salman and Shah Rukh provided the right script comes my way. I’m sure that three of us would love to do a film together.

Rohit Khilnani: Fantastic, hope the directors are listening to that. Is there a pressure on actors to crossover and have that international acclaim?

Aamir Khan: I don’t know about other actors but for me, my audience that I have an emotional bonding with, is most important. I have grown up watching Indian cinema and Bollywood films. I have been a fan of Indian cinema. And my emotional connect is with my audience. I don’t feel the necessity to make an attempt to crossover. Though I don’t have any problems with my films being watched all over the world. Lagaan was watched all over the world and people loved it and that makes me really happy. But I don’t see myself shifting away from India.

Rohit Khilnani: Tell me, if a star goes through ups and downs in personal life—may be separation or accident or something of the sorts—does it affects his star status with his fans?

Aamir Khan: That’s a very difficult question to answer. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t. There are times when occurrences in personal life do make an impact on professional life as well. Sometimes they don’t make any difference at all. So it depends.

Rohit Khilnani: Aamir you have just turned into a director. Were you always meant to be a director or it just happened?

Aamir Khan: No I wasn’t meant to be a director. Taare Zameen is a film that I was producing and acting in it. Amol Gupte who is also directing the film has written it. Unfortunately I was no very happy with the rushes when I saw them. I can speak for myself, I personally lost faith in Amol to bring on to screen what was on script. The only fair thing that I could do at that time was I offered to give him the script back so that he could direct it with some other producer and with some other actor in it. Amol wanted to think for a day and he came back saying that he would rather I produced it and acted in it. And he said you get another director to do it. He chose to step away for whatever his reasons were. At which point I suggested names of various directors and asked him as whom he would recommend or chose. And it was Amol’s decision that I should take over as the director.

Rohit Khilnani: But was it difficult for you emotionally? There was a change of director since you were not satisfied. Was there any bad blood for some time?

Aamir Khan: No, I don’t think so. There could have been uncomfortable situations once in a while but no bad blood.

Rohit Khilnani: Now you are shooting for Gajni, but the post production for this films has stopped. Don’t you think that the film has suffered badly because you wanted to be the part of the post-production?

Aamir Khan: No, I will have to be part of the post production for obvious reasons. Since I’m also acting in another film, my post-production work will be slightly delayed that’s all.

Rohit Khilnani: So, you wont have a release this year. Your films are aleays in gaps. You miss your films release. Is there somewhere a worry that your fans might forget you?

Aamir Khan: I hope not. So far they haven’t. Mangal Pandey was released after a gap of four-years and it got historic opening. I don’t think my fans have forgotten me. I work at my own pace and I don’t think I can work any faster than this. For me to do the post-production, it will take time since I’m also working on another film. I can’t do two things at a time.

Rohit Khilnani: You don’t talk about your personal life. Is that something you still stand by?

Aamir Khan: Yes. I am not very comfortable talking about my personal life on public platforms. I think most people are not.

Rohit Khilnani: Is Aamir Khan a better director or a better actor?

Aamir Khan: I don’t know. People have to see the film to decide how I have directed it. I can’t rate my own self. I let people decide.

Rohit Khilnani: Is Aamir Khan a better father or a better husband?

Aamir Khan: I have no idea about that.

Rohit Khilnani: You have worked with new directors despite the fact that any director would be ready to work with you. You worked with Rakesh Om Prakash Mehra who nobody was ready to touch, Kunal Kohli who was again not a very known name then, Ketan Mehta again and Amol Gupte now. Tell me what’s the reason?

Aamir Khan: It is easier for me to do a film with an established director. I have no qualms of working with them. The kind if scripts that have come my way have been from first time directors. And I loved all of them. I wanted to trust and believe in the people I was working with and so I spent time with each one of them. I genuinely felt that Kunal, Om Prakash Mehra or even Amol for that matter could direct these films.

Rohit Khilnani: But how do you trust them?

Aamir Khan: It is difficult to explain. I go by my instinct. I spend time with them and talk to them about films, about cinema, how they are treating the script etc. So, a lot of this helps me make up my mind.

Rohit Khilnani: Because you are a perfectionist, there is an allegation that you goes-direct your films sometimes?

Aamir Khan: I don’t do that. In Tare Zameen Par I turned director and then took that step. Why should I insult somebody by telling him what to do? I think each individual has his own self-respect and it would be unfair if I interfere in someone else’s work.

Rohit Khilnani: Do you have friends in the industry?

Aamir Khan: Yes I do have friends in the industry. Most of the directors I’ve worked with are my friends. Ashutosh, Rakesh, Farhan, and among actors Shah Rukh Salman all are friends. Though we don’t meet that often I feel very warmly towards them. Hrithik too who is a wonderful actor really.

Rohit Khilnani:So in that case you don’t have any problem if Ashutosh Gowarikar goes on to sign Shah Rukh Khan or Hrithik Roshan?

Aamir Khan: Why should there be a problem? If I’m a genuine friend I would want Ashu to do the kind of work that he wants to do. It may not necessarily mean that I fit into that criterion all the time. I’m sure he Ashu wants to work with me as much as I want to work with him but each time he cannot come up with a script that is tailor-made for me.

Rohit Khilnani: Okay Aamir, since I have you with me I have the chance to get a clarification on this. The cover story of a magazine said that you and Kiran have split. Is that correct?

Aamir Khan: Complete rubbish. There is no truth at all in this story. I’m surprised that when a film magazine writes such junk, there are national news channels who report this as if it were true. It’s shocking and it’s sad. I understand there are people who are earning by writing such lies, reporting malicious things. There is no problem at all. Kiran and me are very happy together.

Rohit Khilnani: But do these things frustrate you?

Aamir Khan: It’s such nonsense that it doesn’t affects me. I only feel sad for the people who are reporting it. People have to write lies about others to earn a livelihood for themselves. It doesn’t affect me beyond that. Our entire family known that me and Kiran are happy together. There is no question of getting affected at all.

Rohit Khilnani:One last question for all your female fans. You are looking hot as always and much better with time. What’s the secret?

Aamir Khan: This time I do have a secret. I’m following a very well balanced diet these days. There is doctor, Dr Dhurandar that I go to. He created a diet for me ever when I started shooting for Fanaa and I have lost 14 kgs since. I drink lots of water and keep up this balanced and healthy diet. It has helped me loose weight and look good. I want to continue with it.

Rohit Khilnani:Well, as long as your fans are happy we wont mind you seeking a doctor either. Thank you Aamir for talking to us.

Aamir Khan: Its been a pleasure.

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