Tribute to Aamir on his birthday this year in March

Aamir Khan: Simply hatke
Diganta Guha
Today, March 14 is Aamir Khan’s birthday. By the time this copy gets uploaded, one will have spent hours behind searching for an Aamir quote on this so-special day. Even his blog doesn’t have any as of now. But yours truly is not surprised because this is what Aamir is all about. It’s better to concentrate on something that is of far more importance than hosting a birthday bash — it has always been his theory. Unlike most other big stars who love to celebrate this special day in their lives with a lot of fanfare, one can rest assured, Aamir will keep it low key and balanced. “So, what if it is my birthday? I have my priorities set for today,” could be his stance. Don’t be surprised, that’s the way he is. And it is this attitude that has given him a unique place in our hearts. They say the true character of an individual gets reflected on every aspect and Aamir personifies that. Since the day he made his acting debut, Aamir has always walked on a different path not treaded by others. We may have gone gaga over Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, but many wouldn’t know that his debut film (ignoring his child actor part in Yaadon Ki Baarat) was actually Ketan Mehta and Dhanpat Mehta’s Holi (1984) where he was hardly noticed. With an enviable film pedigree to boast, he could have given himself some more time, but no matter what the length of the role is, it’s all about the depth of the subject and Aamir has always identified with it. Similarly, after the stupendous success of QSQT, Aamir’s next release was the experimental Raakh directed by Aditya Bhattacharya. His role of a young man with vengeance in his eyes was diametrically opposite to that of the lover boy Raj in QSQT. Those who have seen him in Raakh rate it as one of his most power-packed performances though it didn’t get his due. Raakh was not a full-fledged masala film tried at a time when the stereotyped commercial genre was on a roll especially the boy-meets-girl like love stories. And through Raakh we got a glimpse of that hunger in the actor to explore. And it is this hunger that has kept the Aamir Khan flag fluttering atop. Yes he did become a victim of the masala genre for sometime ‘thanks’ to films like Love Love Love, Tum Mere Ho, Jawani Zindabad, Deewana Mujhsa Nahin, to name a few, but if you ignore that phase between 1989 and 1992 before Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander happened, Aamir’s choice of roles has always been exemplary vis-à-vis that of the other two Khans (Shah Rukh and Salman). Quality and not quantity has been his mantra and he did have the guts to refuse big banners including Yash Raj (he was first offered the role that Shah Rukh enacted in Darr). Aamir was not convinced and said no. Yet it is the same man who accepted the role offered to SRK in Raju Hirani’s 3 Idiots. If the role is good enough, why not accept them? Big banners have never lured him — he has not worked with Ram Gopal Varma after Rangeela and stayed away from Movie magnet Yash Chopra after Parampara in 1993 for more than a decade before doing Chopra’s production Fanaa in 2006. Mani Ratnam’s Lajjo’s fate is still not known and reports were that Ratnam and Aamir fell out over the script. And he has the guts to bank on anybody who shows conviction in what he makes. Don’t forget Aamir agreed to be part of Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Lagaan (he even produced it) when Ashutosh had to run around hunting for a producer. He didn’t sign a film for four years just to get into the skin of the title role in Ketan’s Mangal Pandey: The Rising. And let’s not overlook his directorial venture Taare Zameen Par where he himself played second fiddle making a star out of child actor Darsheel Safary. He takes calls and sticks to them just like the way he shuns award functions till day unless he is convinced. Was Aamir a failure in the clichéd genre? Who says so? Dil Hai Ke Maanta Nahin, Raja Hindustani and Dil are three of his biggest hits which were certainly not experiments. And let us also add to the list — Ghajini, a typical mainstream film that stood out because of the way Aamir executed the director’s vision. We know Aamir did give his own inputs fuelling the age-old criticism that he is an interfering actor. And this has also been the reason as many would put it, behind Aamir’s clashes with his directors. But, if the outcome is a positive one, why blame him? Refusing films like Darr, one would have thought was costly since SRK capitalized on it and cemented his place in the industry and made strides towards the Number 1 spot. But Aamir has never believed in the number game. However, one would probably infer that of late, the frustration for not being called the Numero Uno may have made him a bit desperate. If he doesn’t believe in the number game, then why does he have to claim himself to be the King in public? It not only contradicts his perspective but it also gives a jolt to his reputation. No human being is perfect and a time comes when the ‘humane’ side comes into play making one indulge in actions quite uncharacteristic of his nature. Perhaps, the talented actor has fallen into this natural trap. The ‘funny’ digs of Aamir at Shah Rukh have not gone down well with any die-hard Aamir Khan fan. From somebody who has always maintained a dignified image, it was certainly not expected. If you are hatke, be hatke in every sphere, dude. And let this be your birthday resolution. Happy birthday Aamir!
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