'Satyamev Jayate' not new to Aamir Khan

Gayatri Sankar

For someone who never thought it was mandatory to grace award functions and who chose to work through self-made guidelines, ‘Satyamev Jayate’, perhaps turned out to be the sweetest fruit for his followers. Aamir Khan, whose career spans over a little less than three decades, perhaps has the tenacity to present things in the most subtle way and in a manner that stirs souls and awakens one’s social conscience. If we try and look back at some of his stupendous pieces of work, it looks pretty evident that something as novel and noble as ‘Satyamev Jayate’ could perhaps only be Aamir’s product. None…none could have indeed done justice to it other than Aamir. As ACP Ajay Singh Rathod in 1999 released ‘Sarfarosh’, Aamir along with John Matthew Matthan threw light on the illegal import of arms and ammunition from Pakistan across the international border into Rajasthan. That was probably Aamir’s first film that spoke volumes about him as a performer, who until then was famous for his chocolate boy looks. When a nationalist Aamir mouthes dialogues that are worth million bucks, any self-centered person would feel like tearing his mind apart in sheer disgust of not being a PATRIOT! Through the film, Aamir shook the nationalist spirit among people and that probably could have led to his transformation from being an actor to a national icon! Then came ‘Lagaan’, his first film as a producer that made its way to the Oscar nominations in the best foreign film category in the year 2000. As rustic Bhuvan, Aamir stole hearts with his WILL and DETERMINATION to fight the tyrant British who looted the poor without regretting their inhumane act. Through the film, he showed how an individual could turn into an idol and inspire thousands of others like him. Aamir’s ‘Lagaan’ was indeed a visual reference to the saying, “United we stand, divided we fall”. Coming to ‘Mangal Pandey’, Aamir ironically failed to impress the Box Office. But the Ketan Mehta film unleashed the various facets of the actor, arguably making him the best actor of the current times. The film was based on the life of undivided India’s first REVOLUTIONARY, Mangal Pandey, who sowed the first seed of revolution during the British Raj. And Aamir left no stone unturned in immortalising the great Mangal Pandey on celluloid. After portraying a revolutionary from pre-independent India, Aamir realised it was time to do something that the youth of contemporary India could relate to. He teamed up with Rakyesh Om Prakash Mehra to produce a cult film in the form of ‘Rang De Basanti’ that spoke about YOUTH POWER. As Daljit aka DJ, Aamir moved hearts and showed a mirror to the youth of the country who could channelise all their power to fight the evil from the society. And as always, he succeeded in connecting with the audience. What followed Aamir’s social connect is something that we could probably summarise as ‘Taare Zameen Par’ and ‘3 Idiots’. These two films dealt with the paralysed INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM that needs an immediate change and yet again he turned out to be a victor. And we mustn’t forget Aamir’s ad campaign for Indian Tourism’s ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ that awakens our civic sense. Considering the fact that Aamir has given us a prelude to his nationalist side much earlier than we could realise, Aamir’s ‘SATYAMEV JAYATE’ is indeed an extension of his patriot self, something that each and everyone can identify with. All we need is an icon and the urge to be like him. ‘Jahanpanah tussi great ho’ is what our ‘Dil’ says. You are a true ‘Raja Hindustani’ who doesn’t mind going ‘Fanaa’ for the country. We know for a fact that everyone has ‘Andaaz Apna Apna’, but you proved your detractors wrong by saying ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander’. You painted us in tricolour by turning ‘Rangeela’ and invoked the patriot in us by singing ‘Rang De Basanti’. You made us realise that we are no ‘Ghulam’ to the evils of the society and that we mustn’t refrain from going ‘Sarfarosh’ for the country. You have won the ‘Baazi’ by turning modern India’s ‘Mangal Pandey’. Thanks a ton for helping us ‘Talaash’ our true selves with ‘Satyamev Jayate’!!!