Aamir Keeps the ‘Hits’ (on SRK) Rolling!
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“…I had absolutely no intention of kicking Shahrukh off his pedestal. Though I have to say , I don’t think he ever was on it..”
Bollywood A-lister and Padmashree, Aamir Khan, joined CNN’s special edition of ‘Talk Asia’ filmed in front of a live studio audience in Mumbai, where he shared with host Anjali Rao his opinion on leading Bollywood actors, his sentiments on the Mumbai terror attacks and more.
Post Ghajini, the Mumbai-born superstar is being termed by audiences as the new ‘King Khan’. Commenting on this he said, “I had absolutely no intention of kicking Shahrukh off his pedestal. Though I have to say, I don’t think, he ever was on it. In my opinion, the actor who I really look up to is Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. He is someone who’s work I really liked, a fantastic actor & the kind of stardom Mr. Bachchan has seen, none of us can ever hope to see.”
Khan is one of the very few talents whose work is applauded equally by commercial and critical audiences. His latest work, the Hindi remake of the Tamil film ‘Ghajini’, broke all Indian box office records and became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time. Khan shares with CNN’s Anjali Rao how he prepared mentally and physically for the action-thriller, including a year of stressfull physical training.
Talking on the success of his latest blockbuster, Khan said, “You can never really tell until you see the film with the audience. How it is going to play with the audience. For me what is important is that when I see the film once it is ready, has it turned out the way we wanted it to? If we have done that, then that makes me feel happy.”
“I never thought I would ever train. That is something I’m not into, but when I got into the film, I just went all out and gave it the best I could. It was really painful & tough. When I look at myself, looking at the photographs of how I began & what I became, I just could not believe.”
Sharing his views on the oscar-winning film, Slumdog Millionaire and its success, he said, “I thought the movie was well intended. It was a very sincere attempt, but it didn’t touch me personally, and I suspect it because, I’m not used to watching Indians speak English, all these slum kids talking in English… it’s strange.”
The Mumbai-born actor gets emotional while sharing his thoughts on the recent terrorist attacks in his hometown in November 2008 and said, “It was really devastating. It was like a nightmare, I could not believe it. It was shocking to see the audacity with which these attacks were carried out.”
SATYAMSHOT 
March 17, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Here we go again.
Enough of SRK baiting, Aamir.
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March 17, 2009 at 12:15 PM
He hammers it, like he’s putting nails into SRK’s coffin.
Kidding aside, Aamir’s take on SRK’s position is debatable. If Big B is the criteria, then clearly, no one is in that league. But otherwise, I think Aamir actually believes what he’s saying here.
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March 17, 2009 at 12:24 PM
I don’t know if he really believes it but as Rajen said he’s doing this ‘SRK baiting’ every other day. It’s uncharacteristic of him really. I’m sure he has his reasons but really something’s been triggered of late in this sense and I wonder if there’s more than meets the eye.
In any case I can’t say that I like this side of Aamir very much. It really is getting jarring.
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March 17, 2009 at 12:30 PM
What’s happened of late could be as simple as the fact that he’s had an unparalleled success. I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t be more than a bit “altered” by this kind of a victory, particularly in the context of a (tiresome) media race that’s been molded aggressively in recent years. Aamir’s a mortal, after all, and the kind of tremendous success he’s had in this decade would only make him more aware of the concept of success and races of this sort. That this latest flurry of tasteless behavior comes after Ghajini isn’t much of a surprise but is getting to be a disappointment.
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March 17, 2009 at 12:34 PM
That’s true GF. Ghajini is really an unimaginable success. At the same time he goes only after SRK repeatedly. I remember in earlier years when SRK would be quizzed about Aamir or someone else doing better films and he’d respond with a ‘my films make the most money’ and so on. I think this is at least partly on Aamir’s mind.
But this looks to continue. My Name is Khan and 3 idiots release this year. You’d have to bet on Aamir/Hirani delivering more than Johar/SRK in a ‘different’ film at this stage.
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March 17, 2009 at 12:49 PM
SRK’s his only true box-office competition at this point. I think there’s always been a sense of rivalry between them that’s not only been exacerbated by the pitiful soundbites they have to offer (forget who’s wittier, I’m struggling to figure out where the wit is) but also, simply, time. The two have never worked together, have been contrasted by the media as two different kinds of star-icons, have been quibbled over endlessly on forums like NG, and as you very rightly said, this looks to continue. The game keeps getting played, even if, at this point, it’s played out.
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March 17, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Sandy,
It is a little premature to say SRK is in his coffin. He just gave a blockbuster a few weeks back. Yes, I think the sun is setting. And AB is a convinient bat to use when talking about anybody’s stardom as no one can come close.
For, Aamir to try and deny SRK’s position in recent years is a little churlish.
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March 17, 2009 at 12:27 PM
though RNBDJ in a strange sense has not at all done for SRK what OSO did even if the film’s had comparable grosses. Partly it’s because RNBDJ just didn’t have the hype and then Ghajini drowned out everything. Meanwhile Billu also failed. SRK himself has seemed really buoyant to me only once in many years and this was post-OSO. He didn’t have that sort of reaction after don or after CDI or now after RNBDJ. Which shows once again that he usually knows which way the wind is blowing. OSO all said and done was a triumphant moment. RNBDJ wasn’t. So much of this game is about perception. The film’s success can hardly be debated but the media in another sign of the changing times has been very ungenerous toward it in many respects.
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March 17, 2009 at 12:29 PM
But SRK is in a tough spot. I don’t doubt he’ll remain successful to some degree or the other. But ‘irrelevance’ is danger he’s now staring at in the face. Isn’t it worse to have a hit like RNBDJ than a poor performer like KANK? That he is though at this point still a big draw on his turf cannot be contested.
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March 17, 2009 at 12:21 PM
I have a feeling that the change that has come over Aamir is thanks to Kiran. His first wife, Reena was painfully media shy and in some ways that rubbed off on Aamir too, who rarely attended parties or boasting about his work.
Kiran, I suspect, is the more bindaas one, goading her husband to go for the kill. I even suspect she supplies him with these nasty lines LOL
Mrs Khan is known to be quite a spitfire.
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March 17, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Aamir doesn’t look the type who’d just be led astray by his wife!
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March 17, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Rajen: C’mon, that was just an idiom, because I said ‘hammered’
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March 17, 2009 at 12:24 PM
“For, Aamir to try and deny SRK’s position in recent years is a little churlish.”
Well, honestly, and this is only my view, I think SRK was at the top of the game between 2002-2005 – precicely the time Aamir was absent. I really believe there were pretty much neck to neck all through their career. Even now, I think they are equals, irrespective of Ghajini. Look at the craze CDI generated!
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March 17, 2009 at 12:25 PM
i think we shd never support someone doing wrong even if we like that person. Germans did that with Hitler and we all know what happened. Aamir fans ahd let him know that he becoming more and more evil with each passing day and I am afraid with this kind of nasty behavior his downfall is pretty close.
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March 17, 2009 at 12:30 PM
Prasad: I agree with your sentiment but don’t you think you’re getting a little carried away here?!
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March 17, 2009 at 12:27 PM
“In any case I can’t say that I like this side of Aamir very much. It really is getting jarring.”
Agree Satyam. He’s getting too aggressive and that’s so not representative of what Aamir and his cinema stand for. At least not the cinema we love.
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March 17, 2009 at 12:29 PM
Also, Ghajini is hardly anything to be so proud of!
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March 17, 2009 at 12:29 PM
oh here I’d disagree..
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March 17, 2009 at 12:51 PM
GF,
Agree he is somewhat bouyed by the super success of Ghajini. But this is precisely the kind of moment that should inspire magnanimity rather than chest thumping. If he admres Amitabh, he shoud take a leaf out of his book.
He never felt the need to make this kind of statements. Even his somewhat controvesial posturings of late seemed quite subdued in comparision to Aamir’s jabs.
Ghajini is a unparalleled moment of triumph and he can be justifiably proud of it. Whatever one thinks of the film ( and speaking for myself I enjoyed it tremendously ), it put
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March 17, 2009 at 12:57 PM
yes as I said somewhere else when Karan Johar is himself saying as much about Ghajini at the Filmfares why does Aamir need to keep hammering he obvious?
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March 17, 2009 at 12:52 PM
continuation:
him right at the top of the heap.
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March 17, 2009 at 12:54 PM
Agreed, Rajen.
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March 17, 2009 at 1:05 PM
Even otherwise, he should be smart enough to realise that these things are not permanent. Tomorrow, somebody else will dethrone him. And if he shows more dignity right now, he will be treated better on his way down.
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March 17, 2009 at 4:45 PM
Aamir is becoming a sitting duck now – if he misses or goofs up in a film, he’ll be taken to the cleaners. I can only guess 1) He is basking in the glory of Ghajini and that is fine but now is time to stop 2) He knows exactly what he has under his belt and this agressive behaviour maybe just his confidence in his line-up. Whetever it is, its actually very surprising to see so many comments on SRK. What did SRK do? 🙂
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March 17, 2009 at 4:47 PM
“if he misses or goofs up in a film”
But that’s a very big ‘if’ at this point!
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March 17, 2009 at 4:51 PM
True but sooner or later it will happen. But for the time being, I don’t think another actor is in better position when it concerns the audience or critics in terms of the star-actor combo. And even if he loses some respect here, if his films do the talking I doubt anyone will care in the end!
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March 17, 2009 at 4:54 PM
Agreed Jayshah…. poor SRK.. I have never heard him say anything about anyone like this… 😀
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March 17, 2009 at 10:11 PM
I don’t see these potshots at each other going anywhere. War of words in previous occasions were kind of subtle. Well I believe trigger point was SRK getting little personal in his last interview (kids won’t like him). I don’t think Ghajini success is the exact reason, but it sure emboldened him (It is more than 2 month since Ghajini released) along with Billu’s failure. But what is baffling is Aamir’s continued attack, which is just opposite of his image he has created over years.
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March 18, 2009 at 12:36 AM
agreed on all scores..
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March 17, 2009 at 11:05 PM
More Sh1t from Aamir.
If he is feeling he is at the top now, he shud thump his chest and say he is the best or no.1 whatever. Bigb ke kandhe par bandook rakhke chalana doesnt look either modest nor ‘not interested in number game’ stuff! Rather it shows what a coward and sly guy this is!
It will be interesting if some1 ask BigB whats his take on this..or better he writes something on his blog. This kind of going on about bachchans non existent no.1 status now is not flattering, its rather insulting! If bigb is anywhat sensible he should see through this dishonesty a mile away..inspite of the PR excercises like visiting ‘Paa’s sets to see his special look!
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March 18, 2009 at 12:36 AM
Bachchan has nothing to do with this. Why should he get involved in a row between SRK and Aamir. As for Bachchan being the top star he is of course beyond rankings at this point but I know that Aamir has always believed that Bachchan is the top star. Akshay has also said this not so long ago. If you looked at it in pure box office terms you’d find this statement odd. But then consider a man who’s going to be 67 this year and still finds choice roles all the time. But more importantly the ‘currency’ of Bachchan cannot be reduced to the box office. This is the truest definition of a transcendent star.
In any case I don’t see a cynical move on Aamir’s part to include Bachchan in the conversation. Now I suspect Bachchan himself won’t be very happy to be included in this street-fight but that’s a different matter. Going to the Paa set again has nothing to do with any of this.
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March 18, 2009 at 12:51 AM
I think it has everything to do with PR. Its all about bachchans getting a lil too cosy with srk lately, bigb going visiting him, the filmfare stills, abhishek saying srk is like a big brother, aamir sure dont want to be left behind. you have to be too innocent to not see the connection or just pretend to not see it!
and the amitabh facade is same as what akshay used also, these two challengers lack the guts or the degree of confidence or overconfidence an srk has to say ‘i am the best’. so naming bigb to counter srk is a safe guise to use. again, you have to be either too innocent to not see it or not pretend to see it. and i think its the second in your case satyam!
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March 18, 2009 at 12:56 AM
Let me put it this way.. there is no danger of SRK ever having better relations with the Bachchans than Aamir does!
On the rest we’ll have to disagree.. I am too innocent to pretend!
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March 18, 2009 at 1:00 AM
But again the shoe has often been on the other foot as well. When SRK called Amar Singh a ‘darinda’ could not this have been taken as a veiled attack on Bachchan in some ways? Since SRK was hardly attacking any other politician in the country!
My point here is that such ‘outrage’ was missing when SRK routinely engaged in either very brash commentary or snide remarks in the name of humor. Often both. This is not about defending Aamir. I think it’s just in bad taste beyond a point no matter who does it. But let’s also be fair. I’m not sure if as much offense would be taken if all of this wasn’t being said about SRK.
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March 18, 2009 at 1:09 AM
oh! dont u think..amar singh is now busy with elections!
and ofocurse, innocence is a virtue, i wish you more of it!
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March 18, 2009 at 1:02 AM
Incidentally SRK at points in the past when asked about his rival ‘Khans’ or about Bachchan being bigger than him has said that Bachchan is bigger than all three Khans combined. So he would seem to agree with Aamir and Akshay!
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March 18, 2009 at 12:30 AM
i don’t see anything wrong with aamir’s comments here – he is just speaking his mind that he never thought srk was the top guy – where is a jab or dig at srk here? since we are used to hear all those politically correct answers so far from other actors…i guess this comes as a dig or a jab…but it is not so….and when every journo or host keeps asking him abt srk (and abt aamir when they are with srk)….both of them are smart and mature enough to evade those questions but they r not doing…so they r in a way enjoying i guess….:-) if he had said here that srk is a bad actor or something like that….then yes, might look like a dig or a jab…but even then, everyone has a right to say their opinion i guess….in a way, most of them are living a hypocratic public life where the only opinion they can give abt. others has to be a goody goody one or a politically correct one….. 😦
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March 18, 2009 at 12:38 AM
Idea: But the problem is that Aamir seems to be exhibiting this frankness only when it comes to SRK. when asked about other stars he too gives very diplomatic responses. I suspect there’s something here that’s triggered all of this. Ghajini allows Aamir a great opportunity to make his point but I don’t believe that it ‘creates’ the point itself.
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March 18, 2009 at 1:55 AM
satyam, you’ve a point – but recently aamir said that since last 20 yrs, at every opportunity, srk kept taking digs at him and he kept quiet, but at the end of the day – he is also human and he too feels (he said all this), so it is natural that he is taking it all out and still maintaining a certain dignity – also which are the other stars who have taken digs at aamir in the past??????? (sajid khan – he is not a star or actor or anything 🙂 )
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March 18, 2009 at 1:58 AM
for a long time, i wanted that someone should take potshots at srk exactly in the way he took at everyone in the past including aamir…..so if akki or skr or anyone else also starts taking potshots at him exactly in his own language….i would be very glad….srk needs to understand that “what goes around – comes back” and if it does (as it is now)…he shouldn’t take it as if he is living in a house with glass-walls……
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March 18, 2009 at 1:59 AM
Amir Khan is the modern day Sunny Deol..post GADAR he was never heard of and I think things will turn out just the same for Aamir Uncle too!
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March 18, 2009 at 1:59 AM
*so if akki or sk (salman)*
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March 18, 2009 at 2:04 AM
“I think it has everything to do with PR. Its all about bachchans getting a lil too cosy with srk lately, bigb going visiting him, the filmfare stills, abhishek saying srk is like a big brother, aamir sure dont want to be left behind. you have to be too innocent to not see the connection or just pretend to not see it!”
i disagree with this 🙂 aamir doesn’t need to get in anyone’s camp or get too close to Bachchans….and that too for PR!!! what PR he needs….he can say NO to YRF just because he doesn’t like the script….can BIG B or SRK still say NO to YRF?? Aamir looses nothing evenif he doesn’t interact with BIG B or SRK or anyone….so i guess, his praising BIG B is genuine as satyam has mentioned….and he comes as a strong-headed person who can say loud and clear that let the world believe srk as a king and badshah, he doesn’t believe so….what’s wrong with that?
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March 18, 2009 at 2:06 AM
if Karan Johar can say NO to YRF ay not Aamir? LOL
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March 18, 2009 at 2:07 AM
hey anuradha! is that a prophecy? 🙂
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March 18, 2009 at 2:10 AM
did KJO say NO? I was watching this video clip and someone asked this Q to KJO – and he was diabetically-sweet and said that he and YRF were familiy and he didn’t walk out or say NO and all that stuff….which only Dharma Productions can dish out 🙂
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March 18, 2009 at 2:11 AM
http://www.bollywood.com/yash-raj-films-ends-distribution-deal-karan-johar
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March 18, 2009 at 2:16 AM
“i disagree with this aamir doesn’t need to get in anyone’s camp or get too close to Bachchans” of course..who’d need the Bachchans when you have salman and akki by your side 😀
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March 18, 2009 at 3:40 AM
🙂 that link doesn’t mean NO from KJO to YRF….actually the title says “YRF ends….” so it is YRF saying NO to KJO 🙂
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March 18, 2009 at 3:43 AM
Aamir likes “Baara Aana”…
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March 18, 2009 at 4:09 AM
thnx shaaahid…any link for aamir-tata sky – sardar ad?
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March 18, 2009 at 5:52 AM
Idea.. didn’t get to see that ad yet… but here are 3 of my favourite aamir ads… what’s urs?
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March 18, 2009 at 8:15 AM
Aamir might be the post Gadar Sunny Deol, but he has brains 1000 times more than the Deol boy.
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March 18, 2009 at 8:36 AM
Re: It will be interesting if some1 ask BigB whats his take on this..or better he writes something on his blog. This kind of going on about bachchans non existent no.1 status now is not flattering, its rather insulting! If bigb is anywhat sensible he should see through this dishonesty a mile away..inspite of the PR excercises like visiting ‘Paa’s sets to see his special look!
Am not sure what is being implied here. May be it is because I cannot look past a total lack of intellectual merit or coherence in the argument or may be its the poor grammar and syntax.
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March 18, 2009 at 8:56 AM
Wonder what will be Aamir’s reaction to the inevitability of one of his films failing soon. Go back to hiding? or continue his new found love affair of the limelight. The world and the forums await.
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March 18, 2009 at 12:28 PM
I am glad that amir has given srk the taste of his own medicine because not long ago srk himself said there will be no more superstar after him and thats where he disrespected other top stars mind you srk was never superstar and bollywood last ever emperere was and is MR AMITABH,anyway amir has proven with GHAJINI that he is a top actor.
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