In the early 90s Aamir Khan was not as successful as he is today. A number of his films had crashed at the box-office and the other Khans had over shot him. Yet Aamir Khan was confident that he would be on the top of the game soon, ‘The race is not over’ he said and time has proved him right. Time changes a lot of things around us and also people. All of us change with time. We think differently, feel differently, respond differently. Aamir Khan is as unpredictable as he was thirty years ago, also as individualistic. On his birthday, I present excerpts of my vintage interview with the actor published in my latest book, On Camera Off Camera.
Does it bother you that you earn less compared to actors who do more films?
No, because there are other things I’d like to do besides films. These things may not bring in t money but I do them because I want to.
How important is money to you?
Money is important, but it’s not the only important factor.
Is your family supportive of your decision or do they feel deprived?
They don’t feel deprived, I haven’t even once sensed such a feeling from them.
Is it because you lead a fairly simple life? They would be happy if I give up films altogether. Then maybe we would live in Coonoor.
But wouldn’t that be unfair to your career?
Well, career isn’t your life.
Life wouldn’t be the same without a career either?
That’s also true but how would you know it wouldn’t be better unless you tried it? There are so many things I want to do but cannot because I am an actor.
For instance?
Like learning to swim.
That’s hardly an impossibility. Think of the million things you are able to do because you are an actor.
Sure… Like having this gruelling session with you and another one in the morning with my Chartered Accountant, it was awful!
You make it sound like you are terribly unhappy about being a star?
I am satisfied with the way things are but I’d like them to be better. I’m slowly working towards achieving that like doing selective films. At one time I was working on eleven films at the same time and only I know how unhappy I was! Today, I have reduced my workload to three films a year and with time I will reduce that even further.
(To be continued)