Aamir Khan shared his experience of meeting Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan for the first time while speaking to Mayank Shekhar during the first edition of Sit with Hitlist - a conversation series with India's top creative minds
Aamir Khan reveals how he met Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan the first time
Bollywood superstar and filmmaker Aamir Khan kicked off the first edition of Sit with Hitlist - a conversation series with India's top creative minds, before a select audience. Aamir Khan spoke in-depth on the economics and craft of filmmaking, about box office numbers and stardom. The 'Secret Superstar' actor also shared his experience of meeting Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan for the first time while speaking to Mayank Shekhar.
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Aamir Khan in conversation with Mayank Shekhar at the first edition of Sit with HITLIST, before a live audience, at the mid-day office. Pics/Nimesh Dave
Excerpts from the conversation:
Do you remember the first time you met Salman and Shah Rukh?
The first time I met Salman was at Babla's [director Aditya Bhattacharya's] house, who made Raakh [1989]. Incidentally, Salman and I were in the same class for a year in the second standard [at St Anne's, in Pali Hill]. And we didn't know each other then! I was at Babla's house to discuss a short film called Paranoia, where I was the actor, spot-boy, production head, first AD - all rolled into one. We shot that film for a month. I was 15, and this is the first time I ever acted. Salman was cycling around in Carter Road. He knew Babla too. We stood in the balcony and talked. He told me about how he also wanted to become an actor. I thought of him as a sweet chap. Shah Rukh, I remember meeting briefly, when I was shooting with Juhi [Chawla], somewhere on the road. He had begun shooting a film with her [Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman]. Deewana [his debut, 1992] hadn't released yet. He was sweet, and it was a warm meeting.
Aamir Khan
Clearly nothing momentous. Now one of the reasons 2017 has been considered a sub-par year in Bollywood is because the two top stars' films didn't do well - let alone break records. Do you think the film industry has been relying on the Khans for too long to bail them out every year?
There are other hugely successful stars - Akshay [Kumar], Hrithik [Roshan], Ajay [Devgn]…. The three of us [Khans] have been successful for quite a while; it's natural for the trade to bank [on us]. Sometimes films work, sometimes they don't. At one time, Mr Bachchan was huge. None of us will ever see the stardom he has. He once had eight films simultaneously doing really well in theatres. Trade would bank on him for seats and popcorns. Ideally, there should be more stars. But it's a natural process. Becoming a star is an intangible thing. What is it that people connect with me so strongly over? I have absolutely no idea.
You can read the full interview here: Sit With Hitlist: Aamir Khan Decoded In An Exclusive Interview With Mid-Day