Aamir Khan Always known as ‘Mr Perfectionist’ in Bollywood, he has built a reputation of being deeply involved in all aspects of filmmaking. Over the years, this has also led to rumors that he secretly directs many films starring the actor. However, Aamir has vehemently dismissed these claims in his trademark laid-back style.Speaking at the Screen Academy, the actor said that he has officially directed only one film in his decade-long career. Aamir said that the credit of his successful films goes to the directors, writers and technicians who shaped them.
From ‘One-Film Wonder’ to Aamir Khan’s sharp script selection
Aamir also looked back at the beginning of his career. After the blockbuster hit of ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’, he signed several films simultaneously. Many of them failed at the box office, and were briefly labeled as “one-film wonders”. That time changed his approach to work. He began choosing scripts carefully and decided to focus on one project at a time, a move that eventually transformed his career.
Aamir Khan says he has directed only one film
Directly addressing the speculation, Aamir said, “First you must realize that in all the films I have done in 38 years, I have directed only one film — ‘Taare Zameen Par’. All other films have not been directed by me, no matter how much you have been fed by the media.” He further added, “The media has constantly said that I am directing ghost films. My point is why will I do that? If I am doing a great job, why will I name someone else? Pagal kutte ne kata hai mujhe? What nonsense? It has been my privilege to work with talented directors and I have learned so much from them.“
Each film has a different vision of the director
Aamir said that diversity in his filmography itself proves that he does not direct every project. He cited ‘Lagaan’, ‘Rang De Basanti’, ‘Sarfarosh’ and ‘3 Idiots’ as examples. “If I were to direct all my films, each would look the same. They would carry the same spirit and energy, but they don’t. Lagaan is completely different from Rang De Basanti, which is different from Sarfarosh and 3 Idiots. Each director brought his own vision and personality to the film.”“He added: “People give me direction and scripts when I haven’t done anything like that. I didn’t write Talaash, Rang De Basanti or Taare Zameen Par. I just wanted to hear these stories, relate to them and be a part of them.’
Aamir Khan says filmmaking is very difficult
Aamir emphasized that filmmaking is a collective process. “As a member of the team, I have helped like the other 20 people who are working on the film. I am one of the people involved in the process.” He also said, “We all want our films to reach the maximum number of people. No one has a plan to make a film for a limited audience. Some people simply understand the audience better than others. Filmmaking is very difficult, and very few people consistently deliver successful films.”“Concluding his thoughts, he added: “I’ve been lucky. I’m not being modest; I think I have some skills. But filmmaking is complicated because a lot of things are out of your control. You have to accept that and enjoy the process. That unpredictability is part of the charm. Sometimes too much control is not good for you.”Aamir was last seen in the critically acclaimed ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’.
