Aamir Khan is not someone to rest on his laurels. After delivering the heartwarming Sitaare Zameen Par, the star is already planning his next film, only this time it’s won’t be one film, but a series of film, based on the epic Mahabharat. In this interview, Aamir opens up on how he will not cast himself, or any established faces, in the Mahabharat, the success of Sitaare Zameen Par, and how he is in a ‘committed space’ with girlfriend Gauri Spratt and considers them married in his heart. Excerpts from the Aamir Khan interview.
Sitaare Zameen Par is a success, a true blue success. Not one of those fudged successes that happen these days. So what were your thoughts when you were doing this audacious thing?
Well, it depends when you’re talking about, because the film took three years to make. I would say because of COVID and all, we got delayed. But the project had started much earlier. And then, in all seriousness, when Lal Singh Chadha did not do well, at that point of time, a lot of people advised me against doing Sitaare Zameen Par.
I loved Lal Singh Chadha.
Yes, actually, I thought it’s a good film myself. And I’m quite proud of the film. But I have to accept that, you know, it didn’t work with it didn’t connect with a large audience. A certain section really loves it. And I’m very appreciative of that. But I think it failed to connect with the larger audience. And so as a result, people who are close to me were advising me that, you know, with the change of times where nowadays, people in theatres want to watch action, you must not make something as unconventional Sitaare Zameen Par.
Because your earlier film had not worked. But when have you ever listened to anybody?
No, I do. I listen to everyone very carefully.
No, you take a lot of opinions. But you do exactly what you want to do?
But you know, that’s how I guess creative people or for that matter, anyone should operate. You might be open minded to listen to everyone. But ultimately, you have to follow your heart. You know, throughout my career, if you notice my choices. They are very unusual choices. And actually, every time everyone around me always told me don’t do it. Whether it was Lagaan, whether it was Rang De Basanti, whether it was Taare Zameen Par, you know, I was always advised not to do it.
Story continues below this ad
Look at the number of actors who turned down Lagaan before you?
Sure. So what happens, what I’ve realized now over time is that when a story gets into my blood, it gets into my bloodstream. Then I can’t help but do that. There’s nothing else that I can do. So that’s what happened with Sitaare Zameen Par also. It became an obsession. And I feel it’s, you know, it had such a deep impact on me, the script and, you know, the original film Champions, which is a Spanish film. And the adaptation that Divya Nidhi Sharma wrote, which director R S Prasanna presented to me. It had such a deep impact on me, like it is having on audiences today. And I felt that this deep impact that I’m feeling, this feeling that is there inside me, I want to share it with my audience.
Are you doing the Mahabharat ?
Well, I’m starting work on it in the month of August. It will be a series of films. It’ll be back to back. Because you can’t tell the Mahabharat in just one film. And you know, the Mahabharat is very dangerous. It’s again a story which is in my blood. No one can do anything about it. I need to tell it. So I’m starting work on it.
Will you cast yourself as Arjun or Krishna?
Story continues below this ad
No, I don’t plan to take any known faces in the film. For me, the characters are the stars. I want unknown faces. There’ll be entirely new cast for it, is what I’m thinking.
Finally, can I ask a personal question? You have found love again.
Sure, I have.
And where is this going to? Are you planning to get married with Gauri Spratt? What is the status of this relationship?
Well, Gauri and I are really serious about each other and we are in a very committed space. And we are, you know, we are partners. We are together. Marriage is something, I mean, in my heart, I’m already married to her. So whether it’s, whether we formalize it or not is something that I will decide as we go along.
