The voice is soft but firm, gestures measured yet assertive and the gaze sosteady that it pins you to the sofa. Aamir Khan's star aura is obvious butsubdued; it doesn't need to announce itself. His on-screen persona, spun arounda potent mix of residual adolescence and a simultaneous search for maturity, hasworked magic in films like Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Dil, Ishq, RajaHindustani, Andaz Apna Apna, Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin, Hum Hain Raahi Pyaar Ke andJo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar. Yet Aamir has tried hard not to get locked in thisimage trap and has perhaps done more varied roles within the rigid confines ofBollywood than anyone of his contemporaries. The devil-may-care tapori ofRangeela who dances to heady ragamuffin beats is far removed from thestreet smart 'Ghulam' brought up in the midst of crime and violence. Althoughboth are quintessential kids of the Mumbai streets.
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Such experimentation is expected from a man who turned to acting because heliked to be "a part of the act of telling a story to millions" and hasover the years acquired a reputation for getting involved in meaty projects,strong on concept and content. No wonder the Rs 25-crore, 3 hours 42 minuteslong, Amitabh-narrated epic, Lagaan, his first foray into film productioncomes riding on immense media hype. Unlike Shah Rukh Khan's Dreamz Unlimitedthat attempted to bring a modicum of discipline and corporate culture intoBollywood film making, Aamir Khan Productions seems to be guided by a moreself-conscious attempt at producing something different and meaningful.
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The typical Aamir style of publicity and marketing has also got rolling. Therecluse has opened his doors to the mainline press for the periodic darshan andthe filmi tabloids have, as usual, been kept at bay (because Aamir doesn't seeeye-to-eye with their kind of journalism). Talking to Aamir can be a mostplebeian task for a journalist (including yours truly).
You know that he is talking to you because he wants to and not because youasked for it. Yet the hard-boiled hacks have allowed his film to hog huge amountof newsprint, next only to the Nepal crisis perhaps. Variously known as Mr Cleanand Pete Sampras of the film game, Aamir spoke at length to Outlook displayingthat intelligence, sincerity, decency and earnestness he has come to beidentified with.
On Lagaan...
It's a simple, human story set in a small village during the British reign. Ithas been Ashutosh Gowarikar's (the director of Lagaan) dream and we havetried to support our leader in achieving it. It is neither about theIndependence struggle nor about the 1857 mutiny. It's all about theconfrontation between the village and the British cantonment on its outskirts.It's a feel good film about the triumph of the human spirit.
On why he decided to produce Lagaan...
When I joined the film industry I decided never to venture into production.I had seen the stress and strain that my father Tahir Hussain and uncle NasirHussain used to go through. But I got inspired by Lagaan's story. It isunique and original and has some great emotional moments. In fact I didn't taketo it when Ashu narrated the idea for the first time. Then he returned with afully developed script four months later and I fell in love with it. I alsorealised that it would be an expensive film to make and would require fullcommitment from the producer. We couldn't have entrusted the project to anybodyelse.
On the viability of a period film in present times...
It's only the setting that's period. What happens in the film is relevant toany time; it's completely contemporary in that sense. Irrespective of the age wehaven't changed as human beings. In its style too the film doesn't adhere to theflowery performances associated with period films. We have maintained a casual,day-to-day, natural flavour.
On the kind of films he aims to make...
I would like to bring back the cinema of Mehboob, K. Asif, Bimal Roy andGuru Dutt. I will produce a film only on the strength of the script. It shouldbe something exciting to make, it may not necessarily have a good role for me asan actor. We have just one life. As filmmakers we need to be daring anddifferent yet we keep making love triangles shot in Switzerland. I care aboutthe cinema I'd be associated with. If I am giving one year of my life to a filmI should have faith in it.
On the conflict of roles as a producer and an actor...
It was a difficult task because both roles require an equal amount ofresponsibility. In the one year of pre-production I was completely involved as aproducer. As an actor I had planned that I'll actually stay in a village for twomonths, that I'll imbibe their language and way of life. But the pressure ofkeeping to the deadline meant that the actor in me had to take a back seat. Iput on the cap of an actor only when the shooting
began and when my wife took over as the executive producer. I didn't even workwith Ashutosh on my character. I just played it by the ear on a daily basis.
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On Bhuwan, his character in the film...
He is a strong-willed man, has a sense of humour and leadership quality and integrity.
On doing one film at a time...
I don't know when I leave a character behind and move on. I shot Lagaantill June last year. From August till January I have been shooting for DilChahta Hai and the character still stays with me. The two characters havebeen poles apart. It would have been impossible to cope with both of themtogether.
On working with young directors...
I am not afraid to work with young talent. I have been the only actor of mygeneration to risk working with so many new, young directors - Raj KumarSantoshi, Vikram Bhatt, Mansoor Khan, Indra Kumar, John Matthew Mathan, HarmsDarshan and now Farmhand Kantar. I should have faith in the director. At the endage doesn't matter. It's the level of energy and excitement that the directorbuilds up.
On the shooting in Kutch...
We spent six months in Kutch. It was important to interact with the localpeople. We tried to generate jobs for the locals, involved them in the shoot. Ittook 5-6 months to erect the set and we used the local labour. We had 50 actorsfrom the local theatre and about 250 villagers to form part of the backgroundaction which is as important as what unfolds in the foreground. The villagerswere natural born actors, very comfortable despite facing the camera for thefirst time. The people there have tremendous integrity and dignity. We spent alot of time in getting together period properties. Like the right bullock cartbecause even carts these days have rubber wheels. We rented flats in asemi-constructed building. We had to completely furnish it with TV, geysers, andtelephone. We had 30-strong security team, had hired plumbers and electriciansand ran a fully functional housekeeping department. It was virtually likerunning a hotel.
On his attempts to help the earthquake-affected people...
We were worried about all the local people we had worked with. The unit hascollected about Rs 35-40 lakh for all those who we got to know in those sixmonths. I wanted to visit them personally but realised my presence would nothave helped, it would have only added to the chaos.
On the controversy surrounding the revelation of crucial elements (i.e. acricket match between Aamir 11 and the British 11) of the plot by actressRachael Shelley...
There has been a lot of curiosity about what we have been making. But it isthe prerogative of the production house as to how much they want to reveal. Whydoes the press want to know the story? They confuse this with some major bit ofinvestigative journalism. So many creative people have come together to work ona project. Do they have no respect for that effort? I think the ideal way ofviewing is when an audience comes into the hall without knowing much about thestory and then gets exposed to the film in the darkness of the cinema hall.That's the beauty of cinema, the pure experience that I'd like to maintain.I have been happy with Rachael's work. She has some views about our productionhouse which I don't agree with.
