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FEATURES ZEN GARDEN children follow their own path. He looks surprised at the At 46, the man is original, suggestion that he could be a intense, spontaneous and businessman, an entrepreneur. wise beyond his years. Yet, I remind him that Aamir he connects with today’s Khan Productions is the hot Aamir Khan was all of 17 when twenty-something generation new name in town with six he informed his parents that with an ease that both older great releases under its belt. it made no sense for him to and younger heroes envy. It is like no other production No cuts. continue studying science, My daughter Niti is 26. She house because of its approach commerce or anything else, tells me she has been swooning to quality, innovation and when he knew that he was over Aamir Khan ever since brand that create commercially to spend his life in the film she was five. “Because he is successful films. And that industry. Even though his no ordinary movie star. He means films that make money Only family had a strong film is a filmmaker. [and not a without asking you to park your industry background, they moviemaker]. People don’t brain outside the multiplex. were understandably upset always make a distinction, “I do not see myself as a AAMIR KHAN PROFILE: and tried their best to get but very often ‘film’ is more businessman; I never wanted Actor, filmmaker, him to change his mind. elevated, more intellectual, to be a producer. I was very producer rushes The young Aamir started and of lasting value.… It’s clear about that. Everything HE SAYS: his real acting career with not just a difference between changed with Lagaan,” he says. • Do what makes BY SUBROTO BAGCHI; you happy; don’t PHOTOGRAPHY BY Qayamat se Qayamat Tak being serious and comedic, “For two years, Ashutosh worry about being DINESH KRISHNAN and soon became a rage in because there are definitely Gowariker was going around successful.… Be Bollywood. Over the years, he lots of films that are comic and showing the script. People courageous.… Live Actor Aamir Khan talks life on your terms. evolved as an artist, rendering movies that are serious. Do would confuse ‘lagaan’ with about why he is a producer, • When you go a whole host of characters. you even get it, dad?” she asks ‘lagam’ and ‘lagan’. I had through loss, personal how he deals with pain and In the process, Aamir sought me. She is nervous that I might to explain what the word or professional, I feel the award functions that he it is very important to to change the mores of middle- even mess up the interview. meant. ‘Lagaan, lagaan, as mourn that loss. does attend class Indian parents to let their So here I am with Forbes in, rent,’ I would say. India’s photo editor Dinesh “No one wanted to act n 3 Idiots, the marketing Krishnan on a Sunday morning in it. No one wanted to campaign was path-breaking. at Aamir Khan’s very ordinary produce it. In India, there I In keeping with the mystique looking apartment at Pali was no evidence of success of the film’s protagonist, who Hill in Bandra, Mumbai, to for a sports film, no penchant vanishes into thin air, the learn what enables Aamir to for historicals. So, finally, I production team decided that steal my daughter’s heart. decided to produce it myself. Aamir would do a vanishing He gazes away from me “Even if other producers act before the film was to be and looks at nothingness. would have agreed to do a released, that he would take Then the man speaks: “Do film like Lagaan, they would the country’s media on a what makes you happy; don’t have done so because of me; nationwide ‘Aamir chase’. worry about being successful.” I knew they would not have The day the film was Pause. their heart in it. They would get presented to them, the media “Be courageous.” fair-skinned Indian actors and waited for Aamir to show up. Pause. make them wear blonde wigs.” Instead, a video recording “Live life on your terms.” Lagaan went where no of the actor told them, “I am Indian film had gone before going away. Find me if you he interview could well and with it, the reluctant can. I will be somewhere out end on that note. But I businessman who had just there, in disguise. I could be T have barely gotten started. started his production house the man sitting next to you I want to know how much began changing the way films on a bus someplace, but I am of him is actor, professional would be researched, produced gone…. here is a clue: I am going and entrepreneur. and released in the future. to where my mother came 066 forBes InDIa | september 9, 2011 september 9, 2011 | forBes InDIa 067 FEATURES ZEN GARDEN from.” So, they all rushed to failed, can you come to terms even know about it. One is Their purpose is to encourage Pune where another clue took with it and learn from it. the Dinanath Mangeshkar fresh talent. They don’t charge them to Sachin Tendulkar’s “I was married to Reena Award, instituted in the name any tickets, so everybody house, and so on and on. For for 16 years and then we of Lata Mangeshkar’s father. can walk into the function. weeks, Aamir went around the went through a separation The Mangeshkar family has a “They saw Taare Zameen country in disguise, sometimes and divorce. The first thing trust and they honour people Par and selected that film to watching a rural wedding I did was to stop working. I they feel have contributed give me the award. They had as a bystander, sometimes knew that I had to be with in the creative fields. I have invited K. Balachander to travelling in an auto-rickshaw, my children. I wanted to value for that Trust and for speak. He spoke so well about somewhere having tea with the introspect about what had the people who are conducting me, he moved me to tears. It is mohalla folks. At the end, he happened to me and my life, it. Therefore, when they tell beyond the Oscar! That is true would reveal his identity and and where I am headed. me, ‘You have done well and award and recognition to me.” quickly move to the next place. “If I had not done that, we want to honour you,’ it Everywhere he went, he I would not have been in a is an honour for me. It is wo hours have gone by with played truant with the local position to conduct my life not a televised business, a no intermission. I have one press. In Benares, he sent the in the way I conduct it today money-making show. Tlast question: How does he media sweets with a note, “I and start all over again.… I “The other one is the sustain the creative process? was here,” and the press went entire student population automatically has an emotional think the healing process is Gollapudi Award which is “I read a lot. Currently, looking for all the folks whom mapped all over India and response and connects me very important. If you don’t instituted by the Gollapudi I am reading I.K. Gujral’s Aamir had befriended and left he travelled from Gujarat to with people. I do not design spend time healing, you won’t family. Their son, Srinivas, autobiography.” with a farewell gift: A small Bengal, to Chandigarh. In an image of myself.” heal properly,” he says. was making his first film Dinesh and I look at each golden medallion with the every place, he gave interviews So, Aamir would rather and on day nine or ten of the other. How many CEOs in the letters “AK” inscribed on it. to regional newspapers and focus on getting the script n my world, the one of shooting, there was an accident country, I wonder, would read The medallion was their pass television, which made front- better, the shot perfect and the businessmen, entrepreneurs and he died on the set. The I.K. Gujral and how many, to the premiere of the film. page news. The movie was a focus group feedback intently I and professional employees, family was distraught and, in for that matter, would even Aamir Khan Productions hit before it was screened. listened to by his team before we are obsessed with the idea his memory, they instituted know who the man was? did some more smart work. the release of his film than of rewards and recognition. the Gollapudi award, for But then, that is Their research showed that istorian Ram Guha once “design an image” for himself. But Aamir Khan has stayed excellence in cinematic work Aamir Khan for you. in the hinterlands of India, told me the importance We change gears, but I away from anything that by a first time filmmaker. No cuts. Only rushes. l it was the regional film that H of not being distracted am still on the subject of he believes is meaningless grossed double the money in building a professional distractions — the ones caused recognition. And that includes a Hindi film did. So, Aamir career. There was a time when by private pain. I want to know, the Filmfare award that the Khan Productions had the journalists would call him for how do you compartmentalise organisers, sponsors and his comments on anything and pain and stay focussed? recipients would want to everything.

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