With the release of his film Sitaare Zameen Par recently Aamir Khan has shut down the voices of those predicting Bollywood’s doomsday.
The actor candidly opens up about sticking to his guns for its release on the next episode of the weekly show, The Right Angle with Sonal Kalra.
The episode drops today at 7pm across Hindustan Times’ YouTube channels. Excerpts from this exclusive interview:
Aamir, you have been called the man of the moment…
Right now, I am just relieved!
Is it a relief because Bollywood has been having a tough run lately?
Not just Bollywood, every language is; don’t count the top hits like say, Pathaan, Jawan (both 2023) or Pushpa (2021), whether it’s in the south or Hindi films. I am including Hollywood — this exists all over the world.
Relief and happiness is what one has been hoping for in Bollywood, and you have spearheaded that. Lovely compliments are coming your way for Sitaare Zameen Par. What did Gauri (Spratt, girlfriend) say the moment she finished watching it?
Itna pyaar mil raha hai iss film ko, people have fallen in love with it. They feel so happy when watching it. Gauri has really loved the film. She has been confident from the beginning.
One has been hoping that theatrical viewing finds its mojo again… many are wondering why people don’t want to come to theatres for films, isn’t it?
The quality of cinema hasn’t changed in the last three to four years. Jaisi filmein 10 saal ya 8 saal pehle bann rahi thi, quality abhi bhi wahi hai. Kuch achchi hoti thi pehle, kuch buri. The difference is, earlier, films would come to OTT six months after release. If you give me an offer — come to theatres ya free mein ghar par dekho, main kahan dekhunga? World over, film industry ke log sar kyun khujla rahe hain, mujhe samajh nahin aa raha.
Simple solution hai: if people want us to return to square one, studios and producers will have to insist, ‘We won’t sell to OTT before six months.’ Phir dekhiye dhandha kaise badalta hai. OTTs zyada paisa de rahe hain, ek safety crutch mil raha hai producers ko. Koi risk nahin lena chah raha hai.
Are you hopeful that other producers will be able to sustain the risk you have taken?
We have to decide for ourselves. I have made it very clear to my audience: I will stick to the old pattern of releases. OTTs have given me healthy offers to bring the film out within two months of its theatrical release. Woh mujhe manzoor nahin. For me, OTT is no longer an option as a producer. Every producer has to do this — if things need to change, mere akele se cheezein nahin badlengi. Haan, mere liye badal jaayengi, but industry ke liye karna hai toh industry ko step lena padhega.
You have always stayed under the radar, but several people feel Aamir only comes out of hibernation when he has a film releasing…
Very true. I am a creative person, I get lost in my work. Main film banaun ya interview doon? Sachin Tendulkar ko aap pitch par bolte ho kya ‘Interview do, batting baad mein karo’? Mujhe kaam toh karne do!
Uska risk yeh hai ki jab koi newsy cheez aati hai — you aren’t on social media — you are giving people freeway to create the perception they want.
Woh galat hai, I should correct that. People make false allegations and I keep quiet because I think my audience knows me, so farak nahin padhega. I am not a talkative person. While making a film, I am not available often to my family, too. At that time, I’m not thinking of interviews.
As a journalist, I wouldn’t disturb anyone in creative work. Zahir hai, jab film aayegi, main baat karna chahunga. Mera audience ke sath gehra rishta hai.
Main har jagah ja ke bolunga, ‘Meri film dekho’. Isme galat kya hai? Aap mujhse kyun complain kar rahe ho!
