It was 4:30 on Saturday and wontedly I was waiting to interview him. And then he appeared in his all messy look as he had been busy for the whole day, shooting for his TV show ‘Satymev Jayate’. He sat next to me and smiled which can charm any women on earth and said sorry for being late without any attitude or you may say ‘stary tantrums’ which impressed me bound breaking. He’s the man who has consistently dealt with socially relevant issues by acting, directing or producing films and displayed strong sense of social commitments. He is the one who shows perfection in whatever he does, no matter how hard the task is.
In interview for almost an hour with spectralhues, Mr. Perfectionist Aamir Khan, opened up about what he feel for his groundbreaking series ‘Satyamev Jayate’ and how much he achieved to succeed the dream. And how khan managed to bring that catalytic energy again to the television and bringing that effect in his every show that shaking and deeply affecting our society.
1) What triggered this idea in you?
There are so lot things we notice often which disturb us while travelling or in our homes but nobody bother to intercede into it to bring a positive change. Just then thought to make television as a medium, it is a quick and strong medium to reach every home nowadays and can make a difference. My idea was not about to bring any revolution but wanted to make a sudden relief to our people with their basic difficulties of which we are the solutions. Just blaming government would not work, it’s we who have to decide whether we want to think in a certain way or not.
2) Have you ever thought about these issues before doing Sataymev Jayate?
Yeah actually, I always think about all these issues years earlier than doing this show. It’s been almost 15-20 years ago very soon after becoming an actor and when these issues come across me I always think to do something like this. I always remember the saying that ‘one man can bring a difference’ at least for them who all are not privileged enough to help themselves. That was fermenting in me many years ago which somewhere finally comes out through the show.
3) Has plucking the issues for all these seasons changed you personally?
Ofcourse it does. To be precise, the emotions you see on the show are very professional and we always hide our inside feel after meeting the people in pain in front of screen. But while discussing the scene or to research on case we’ve been through so much raw and brittle emotions just hard to handle. Not even me but all my team has started taking the issues in very different manner I would say that we take more emotionally and deeply and can understand the pain of all those who’ve been going through it. That’s the kind of impact those all stories left on us.
4) How much relief you feel now?
Relief.. No this word is quite wrong you chose. I am just happy and lil satisfied with the reaction of people. I think I got more boost up or can say more curious now to search on more-n-more stories from depth. The last two seasons make me feel enriched and I have learnt so much. Its amazing meeting so many people from different cities-states, knowing them personally and to listen their problems gives me a feel that I am so rooted and so close to my country. This journey gave me a lot..!
5) After your ideology started taking a shape, did you felt that risk of transposing from cinema to small screen?
It started like that, star network offered me for the small screen and I was clear that I can’t do long story telling’s, ‘saas bahu serials’ or game show or something like that. They gave me the chance to plan something like I want. I always wanted to do either some kind of friction or anything which brings social change and country follows to the best. I took my time for thinking on it, in which I discussed things with Kiran. After taking some while my thought gave me a lil idea of what actually I want and then it goes on-n-on. But being a celebrity it was difficult for me to go to ground level so I made my team and then we started our research on much unbiased manner. Risk.. What risk! I am happy that I did this all with the medium of television now I can reach my audience every week.
6) One of the things you are good at is marketing. The way of marketing your films has always been as different as your films. What business model you had planned for the show?
See what I believe is just be honest. You should be honest about what ever work you do. You can attract the audience for an episode but thereafter your work and dedication will work for rest. Talking about marketing, it depends how you tell your story to the audience. Let me explain it to you this with an example, actually ‘main explain bahut acha karta hoon’ , (smiles) you went at the place where the music is very loud and then you tell your script, that is storytelling, but you went at that place and turnoff the music and then tell your script that is marketing. Marketing means to let other people concentrate themselves in every single word you want to convey.
7) Do you dedicate your personal time for the show?
Actually all the time.. (Laughs) All know that within these 2 past years I’ve shot for the films Talaash and Dhoom3, for the rest of the time I only concentrated in researching and preparing for SMJ shows.
8) Any issue that you haven’t dealt with in all your three seasons?
Oh! There are lots of them that come to my mind when I travel to the places. But I won’t tell you about them now, you have to wait.
9) Bollywood slowly making its connection with sports, Cricket, Football or Kabaddi. You are one of the actors who haven’t ventured and you don’t even seem interested?
Sport is amazing, but the problem is I don’t want to lose my concentration over the things. I am passionately looking toward my films and Satyamav Jayate for now. For buying any team you need to get committed about the whole procedure included the strategy of owning the team, being responsible for marketing, promotion, team making and oh.. woaahh..! I am not ready for all this but talking on the same matter SMJ’s 3 first episode was about varied sports and the role it plays for our nation development. So talking in that way I am upbeat about the cause and keen to support all the sports but not by owning them but by motivating our youngsters for it.
10) Talking about your much awaited film ‘PK’, its already getting a huge hype by the skin revealing posters, do we take its Aamir’s marketing strategy?
Aamir is the name which dosent need any marketing strategy over reveling his clothes. Mujhe apna kaam bechne ke liye kapde utarne ki jarurat nahi hai. There are several mouth and everybody has right to speak up their opinion. Nor my director Raju (Hirani) or I need to do such cheap tactics to make my film a big hit which doesn’t matter me at all. People who know me understand that the poster or those scenes were the demand of the film. And rest I don’t need to explain this to anyone, that’s my work and I am delighted to do such role.
11) Some of your memorable hits in the recent past-Taare Zameen Par, 3 Idiots, Rang de Basanti are one which had a strong message and it entertained a lot. Almost 2 decade ago, you were a newcomer and now you set an example for world. How is the feeling?
I had no plans when started my career and I certainly never imagined that I would reach this far. It’s been an exciting journey and I learnt a great deal. I feel overwhelmed and humbled at the same time very proud that in this journey of 100 years of Indian cinema I have had privileged of being a part of the last 25 years and now it’s my destiny that I could show my love and affection to my nation, my own people by SMJ and will surely pay back to my audience for the love they are giving me in all my up and downs. My Ammi (Mother) always says- Pahla kadam hai to mumkin hai and that I always follow.
