AK: the one and only - Aamir Khan :)
[Transcript Source: http://www.newkerala.com/nkfullnews-1-9138.html]
About the competition he faces from his Bollywood peers
AR: After this movie made it so big, people said that you were the real “King Khan”. And that you’d kicked off Shahrukh off his perch because he appeals to the masses but you’ve managed to do this thing that loads of actors would love to do. In that you’ve had both critical and commercial success in spades. How do you do that? How do you stop from being pigeon-holed in one box or another?
AK: Well, you know I just do work which excites me and which I enjoy doing. I just do work which makes me happy. And I have absolutely no intentions of kicking Shahrukh off his pedestal. Though I have to say I don’t think he ever was on it...
About getting into his much talked physique, for the movie Ghajini
AK: It was tough, it was really tough, and actually there’s a joke in my family and friends, when you want to get Aamir to do something, make a movie around it and he’ll end up doing it.
About Slumdog Millionaire
AR: Slumdog Millionaire was a huge eye opener, I think, but you know for all the accolades that it got around the world, there were plenty here in India who slammed it. What did you think of it?
AK: It didn’t touch me personally. Emotionally it didn’t do anything for me. And I suspect it is because I am not used to watching Indians speak English. So you know, all these slum kids talking in English, and the cop...I find it very strange…it didn’t work for me because of that problem.
About recent Mumbai Terror attakcs
AK: I am critical about how a number of leaders have been using religion and cast in our politics for decades now. And that only, you know, polarizes people. It spreads a lot of poison and negativity in society.
About his unconventional choices of movies
AR: Now you obviously took on that project because you believed that it would work. But did other people think that you were just bonkers?
AK: Yeah. Well they think that all the time actually. Every time I start a film they’re like hmmm this time he’s going to really mess it up. So it’s really…
AK: Everyone who knew me was like, he’s nuts, he’s really done it this time. And then when I did Dil Chahta Hai also, or you know, even Rang de Basanti, Taare Zameen Par they were like hmm childcare and education, ok. But it’s also exciting, you know, when you pick things which are unusual and difficult and are breaking the rules of mainstream cinema.
About his childhood
AR: What kind of a childhood did you have?
AK: Well, fairly standard actually. I think my parents looked after us very well. We had a fairly sheltered life. I mean my parents were really against me getting into films. I come from a film family. My father and uncle were both filmmakers. And I faced hell at home. It was like there’s no way you’re getting into films. But I don’t usually listen to people. I just do what I feel like. And then when they realized… actually it was more because they were concerned for me, you know. Every parent is concerned for their children. And they had been through this line and this profession is so uncertain. You know one day you’re up there, the next day you’re nobody and…it’s a really harsh profession.
After showing a short clip of his movies from QSQT till Ghulam
This is little quirky. But that is Aamir Khan :)
AR: When you look at those clips from the 80s and 90s do you go you know what I’m really proud of that or do you go oh god I just want to die?
AK: No I just want to die. I get totally embarrassed. Usually you know when I finish a film within six months I feel eh, this is not good enough. This is where we’ve messed up, and we could’ve done this, and I’ve grown so much as an actor and I can do this much better now. I don’t like my work usually after some time, I don’t like it anymore.
Aamir Khan talks about getting first-hand audience reaction of his movies, by watching his audience in theaters without them actually knowing about it.
AK: They don’t know because they’re already in there. And then I walk in, I stand at the back, I go into the projection room, those windows there, peep out and I can see everyone, I can hear them. So you can see them shifting in their seats if they don’t like the scene. You can actually see that happen. So when the film is not working, you’ll suddenly hear a lot of chairs you know, chair sounds…shifting, coughing, so you know you’re losing the audience there.
Interviewer wonders how AK has managed to be on the top for so long..
AR: If you had to name a characteristic of yours that’s gotten you through, that’s helped you to make it to be as big a star as you are now, what would it be?
AK: I think for me it’s been, I’ve always done what makes me happy. I realized very early in my career that you know, whenever I’m taking a decision which I think is the correct decision, or I ought to be doing this. Whenever I’ve done that, I’ve failed miserably. Whenever I thought I was being smart, I’ve ended up making an ass out of myself. But whenever I did what I felt like doing, it worked for me. No matter how ridiculous it may have seemed to others, and no matter how impractical it may have seemed… but whenever I followed my heart and done what makes me happy, it’s worked for me.
