Aamir Khan: A versatile Taara on Zameen

Shivangi Singh

Who is the real Aamir Khan? Is he the sensitive painting teacher, Nikumbh sir, or DJ, the cheerful prankster? Is he more like the innocent Bhuvan of Lagaan or the crusading ACP Rathore of Sarfarosh. If you look for Aamir Khan in the characters he has played, you will not find a trace of him. And herein lies the versatility and excellence of Aamir Khan, the actor-star! The ability to surrender one’s identity to an external force or muse comes only to great sages, mystics and artists. Perfection demands complete surrender. In case of acting, even the best actors fail to get into the skin of the character and live and breathe its life. The most prominent names in Bollywood project their identity into the roles they are playing.

But Aamir Khan has the exceptional knack of submerging himself and allowing the characters to take over and thus, unforgettable characters like the typical ‘tapori’ Munna of Rangeela and Aakash of Dil Chahta Hai are born.

Remember that scene of Taare Zameen Par, when the dyslexic boy runs towards his Nikumbh sir on winning the best painter’s award? The child’s eyes are filled with grateful tears and his teacher is beaming with pride on losing to his student. It is a moment which makes almost everyone cry. Aamir’s commendable comic timing is laudable in Andaaz Apna Apna and Rangeela. Remember the scene in Rangeela, when Munna comes dressed in a yellow suit that matches with his yellow taxi, takes Urmila to a five-star hotel and attempts to be sophisticated. The scene is simply hilarious. There are many other moments in Aamir Khan’s films that make you laugh and cry at once. Such moments establish the superiority of his histrionic skills over that of other contemporary actors. So, it’s small wonder that his Lagaan made it to the Oscars and received accolades from the world over. Shah Rukh Khan is best known for his romantic roles, most prominently as Raj of DDLJ. Akshay Kumar for his ‘Khiladi’ roles and Govinda for his comic flicks but Aamir Khan cannot be typecast into any such category. And his genius lies in the fact that every time he plays a new character, the previous role is forgotten and he raises the bar with every breakthrough performance.

The real Aamir Khan is elusive. He is media-shy and a very private person. Critics label him as ‘perfectionist’, directors see him as a difficult actor, who ‘over-analyses’ and ‘over-studies’ his role. He shuns award functions. The story goes that he disregards all filmy awards after the Filmfare fraternity awarded the Best Actor to Anil Kapoor for Beta in 1992 and Aamir’s fabulous performance in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander was overlooked. This decision is considered as one of the most shocking decisions in Filmfare`s history.

Aamir has never bothered with award ceremonies in India since then. He won several Filmfare awards and most recently the Best Director’s award for TZP but he maintained his indifferent stance and did not come to collect it! Aamir loves to remain in the shadows and lets his role take over. His work speaks. And whenever he chooses to speak he says hard-hitting truths, without thinking of the consequences as was the case with Narmada Bachao Aandolan. He does not believe in lobbying or compromising with his integrity to grab films. Money does not interest him, but he is passionate about good roles. He says, "You really have to believe in what you`re doing and the way you`re doing it. And above all, you have to enjoy yourself. That`s the way it is with me." One does not know much about Aamir Khan (a little through his blog) but one thing is for sure, he has immense faith in his work and he loves to dare. Who could have accepted the role of a rustic Bhuvan, who plays a cricket match against the mighty British? Story goes that Ashutosh Gowariker first offered the role to Shahrukh Khan and then, Abhishek Bachchan. While Khan suggested the name of Aamir for the role, Bachchan chose to make his debut with J P Dutta`s Refugee. Only after this, Aamir was approached with the idea and together they created history. Again, who could have dared to impulsively don the director’s cap for TZP on realising that things were not going right? He repeatedly dares, and wins.

He loves to take the road not taken and maybe that’s the reason why people who tread on set paths find him so ‘different`. Our best wishes to this exceptional personality on his birthday! Memorable Roles

- Raj, the lover (Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak)
- Raghu Jaitly, an affable news reporter (Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin)
- Amar, the inept schemer (Andaz Apna Apna)
- Munna, the street-tough (Rangeela)
- ACP Rathore, the crusading police officer (Sarfarosh)
- Siddharth, the fiery young boxer (Ghulam)
- Bhuvan, the rustic idealist (Lagaan)
- Aakash, the cool guy (Dil Chahta Hai)
- Mangal Pandey, a fierce opponent of the British Raj (Mangal Pandey)
- DJ, the cheerful youth (Rang De Basanti)
- Nikumbh Sir, the sensitive painting teacher (Taare Zameen Par)


More About Aamir Khan

Original Name: Aamir Hussain Khan
Nick Name: AK
Commonly Known Name: Choco Boy
Date of Birth (Birthday): 14 March, 1965
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Height: 5`5"
Eye Colour: Black
Hair Colour: Black
Birth Place: Mumbai
Marital Status: Married
Languages: English, Hindi
Hobbies: Listening to music, watching movies
Contact Address: 11 Bela Vista Apartements, Bandra, Mumbai 50
Family Background

Father`s Name: Tahir Hussain
Mother`s Name: Zeenat Hussain
Brother(s): Faizal
Sister(s): Nikhat, Farhad
Spouse: Kiran Rao
Son: Junaid from Reena Dutt, and Jaan Herry Hines from Jessica Hines (reportedly)
Daughter: Ira from Reena Dutt


Film Background (Filmography) Film Career: Started as a child artist in Yaddon Ki Baaraat, 1970
Debut Film: Holi, but got breakthrough in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak
Famous Movies: Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), Dil (1990), Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar
(1992), Andaz Apna Apna (1994), Rangeela (1995), Raja Hindustani (1996), Sarfarosh
(1999), Mann (1999), Lagaan(2001), Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Rang De Basanti (2005), Fanaa, Taare Zameen Par
Latest Movies: Taare Zameen Par (Directorial Debut cum Actor)


Favourites

Favourite Dish/ Recipes: Indian and Mughlai dishes
Favourite Actor: Dilip Kumar, Om Puri, Naseer, Raghuvir Yadav
Favourite Actress: Waheeda Rehman, Geeta Bali, Madhubala, Sridevi
Favourite Movies: Pyasa
Favourite Colour: Black
Favourite Destination: Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani
Favourite Perfume: Jovan
Favourite Author: Leo Tolstoy
Favourite Subject: Physics