Imran Khan has grown up watching his uncle Aamir Khan act. While he has idolised him, he has at the same time, managed to secure his own place in the sun despite the long shadow cast by his uncle, independent of any influence or without taint of imitation. Here, Imran talks about all things Aamir... comparisons, camps, casting, career choices and more...
In no Khan camp
You are asking an ant about what he does when the elephants are fighting. I just stay away from all this. Aamir will be the last person to think of a camp, to think of me being part of his camp. He has always been extremely independent and he has always expected that of me as well. I realise its probably hard for people to wrap their heads around it, but Aamir has never discussed work with me. He has never read a script. He doesn’t even watch my films. Aamir has seen two of my films — Jaane Tu... and Delhi Belly – both of which he produced. He liked me in both. But apart from that, he hasn’t watched my films. We have a level of separation at our work level which people cannot even begin to understand. Half the time, he isn’t aware of what film I am doing, who I am working with because we both are very busy. Where are we going to sit and talk about films? It is just family catching-up as an uncle and nephew.”
Two Khan do?
Aamir and I have been offered a lot of films together. But never anything good. None that have interested either him or me. Most of the time, it’s what I call stunt casting – real-life mein mama-bhanja hai aur film mein abhi ek saath nazar aayenge’, so let’s cash in on that. Which is something we tend to do a lot in the industry. This also happens with couples and siblings in the industry. You are casting them because they are related, not because these actors suit these parts.
Directing Aamir
I feel like I would rather direct someone who is not as big a star as Aamir is. Because, I feel that when an actor reaches that kind of stardom that Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir have, it becomes very intimidating and difficult for a first-time director to then direct them. I mean, ultimately, if I am making my first film and I am directing Aamir Khan in it, it can’t be overlooked that he has had 25 years of success behind him. And he would be like, “Don’t worry, mujhe malum hai”. There is never scope for an argument then, because... what can I say? He has given more hits than most people have combined. So if his point of view differs from mine, it becomes very difficult for you to argue then. I would want to work with someone who is not as big a star.
All for a role?
I don’t know if I can physically go all the way for a role. I wouldn’t know what I would need to do to put on so much weight (like Aamir has for Dangal). But he has a different body type. It’s the opposite of mine. For him, it’s easy to put on weight and difficult to knock it off. I can become skinny; that’s something I can easily do. I don’t think my body can develop that level of fat. I don’t know, to what level I can go to look a certain way. I could go bald for a role. I used to shave my head until I signed Jaane Tu. I have never had long hair. This length of hair I have right now is also too long. I used to have a trimmer and every eight-ten days, I used to trim my hair. I find long hair irritating. I am not able to deal with it. I have to maintain my hair length for continuity. But the second I know I have wrapped my work on a film and that I have two-three months off, I get a very short haircut. If required, I would strip on screen too. I don’t have these kind of restrictions and concerns. I am shameless.
