Aamir Khan may be considered Bollywood’s “Mr Perfectionist” today, but when he first began his acting career, things were far from perfect. Competing with his contemporaries, the actor ended up signing more than nine films at once. However, the decision backfired. After the blockbuster success of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, almost every film he starred in failed at the box office, leading to him being labelled a “one-film wonder.” It was then that Aamir decided to completely change his approach and started choosing his films with more caution, eventually, he started doing one film at a time, which transformed his career.
He went on to deliver acclaimed films such as Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, Rangeela, Raja Hindustani among many others. Lagaan, Rang De Basanti, 3 Idiots, Dangal, and many others followed. However, with many successes in the bag and his eye for perfection, many started suspecting that Aamir was the decision maker on his films, and was ghost directing them, which basically means that he wasn’t letting the actual director make decisions for the films. Now at 61, Aamir Khan has firmly denied such claims.
‘I have only directed one film’
Speaking at the Screen Academy, the actor said, “First you have to realise that in all the films I have done in these 38 years, I have directed only one film — Taare Zameen Par. All the other films are not directed by me, no matter how much y’all have been fed by the media.”
He further added, “The media has constantly claimed that I ghost-direct films. My point is — why will I do that? If I am doing a great job, why on earth will I put someone else’s name? Pagal kutte ne kata hai mujhe? What nonsense? It has been my privilege to work with directors who are extremely talented and from whom I have learnt so much.”
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‘If I was directing all my films, they would all look the same’
Aamir explained that every filmmaker he has worked with brought a unique energy to their projects. “If I was directing all my films, then each one of them would have looked 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 their own vision and personality into the film.”
The actor also stressed that the credit for those films belongs equally to the writers, directors and the entire team involved. “People credit me for the direction and scripts when I have done none of that. I did not write Talaash, Rang De Basanti or Taare Zameen Par. I simply heard these stories, connected with them and wanted to be a part of them,” he said.
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Aamir added that a film belongs equally to everyone associated with it. “As a member of the team, I have contributed just like the 20 others working on the film. I am one of the people involved in the process.”
‘Filmmaking is very difficult’
The actor also addressed how even unconventional stories in his filmography have often found a wide audience. “All of us want our films to reach the maximum number of people. Nobody plans to make a film for a limited audience. Some people are simply better at understanding audiences than others. Filmmaking is very difficult, and very few people consistently deliver successful films.”
However, Aamir admitted that he does have certain strengths. “I have been fortunate. I am not being modest — I do believe I have certain abilities. But filmmaking is complicated because so many things are beyond 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.”
When Aamir Khan decided to be careful about his films
Previously, while reflecting on the difficult phase after QSQT, Aamir had shared, “After QSQT, I wasn’t happy with the work I was doing. My sensibilities didn’t match with the people I was working with. Eventually, those films started releasing. Three films flopped and I was labelled a one-film wonder. And the films that were yet to release — I knew how bad they were.”
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He added, “I felt completely sunk. I thought my career was going down the drain. I used to come home and cry every evening. I swore that I would never compromise again unless I trusted the script, director and producer — even if it meant the end of my career. I felt like I was stuck in quicksand.”
Aamir Khan’s next
Aamir Khan is producing Lahore 1947, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi, which stars Sunny Deol in the lead role. He also recently shared that he is working on a sequel of 3 Idiots.
