I don’t think I’m a perfectionist, says Aamir Khan

Ahead of the release of his latest feature Laal Singh Chaddha (2022), the official remake of the Oscar-winning Hollywood film Forrest Gump (1994), Aamir Khan joined IMDb for a special episode of ‘Best Interview Ever’.

In the exclusive video, Khan talks about his career highlights as he reunites with some of the most iconic props from his films, including Crime Master Gogo’s black cape from Andaz Apna Apna (1994) and the winning bat from Lagaan (2001).

Over the years, Khan’s films 3 Idiots (2009), PK (2014) and Dangal (2016) have all become blockbusters and acquired cult status. His home production Lagaan is one of only three Indian films to earn an Oscar nomination for Best International Film.

The actor, whose last film was Thugs Of Hindostan (2018), is said to prefer quality over quantity, earning him the title of ‘Mr. Perfectionist’. But Khan states that he prefers magic over perfection.

In the video, he shared, “I don’t believe in perfection because I find that beauty lies in imperfection. I don’t think I’m a perfectionist. I think this tag was given to me by the media because I had a very long period in which I didn’t have a film that didn’t work. So, I think they could not figure it out that he hasn’t had a film that hasn’t worked for a long time, and that’s what made them say that I’m perfect. What I really love is magic and a magical moment is much more attractive to me than something that is just perfect.”

Reuniting with some old props from some of his biggest films, especially the bat from Lagaan, the actor got nostalgic. He recalled, “This is the design of the bats the Lagaan team used, and [production designer] Nitin Desai had made these bats and they are actually one piece. It’s a single piece, so there’s no absorption of shock. When you hit the ball, you get a bit of a zing in your elbows. And since it’s a single-piece thing, it’s quite heavy. It’s much heavier than a normal bat and difficult to wield. So, it was tough for us.”

Yaminie Patodia, head of India at IMDb, said in a statment, “What a thrill to have Aamir Khan participate in “Best Interview Ever” - he is the first Bollywood [commercial Hindi cinema] star to join us for this fun and informative IMDb original video format. Entertainment fans are sure to be delighted by the interview’s elements of surprise and nostalgia, along with some special appearances by iconic Bollywood props.”

She added, “IMDb fans have always loved Aamir Khan, and three of his movies are featured on the IMDb Top 250 movies chart – 3 Idiots (#87), Taare Zameen Par (#123), and Dangal (ranked #127). His upcoming release Laal Singh Chaddha is currently trending at #1 on the IMDb Most Anticipated New Indian Movies and Shows list.”

Laal Singh Chaddha, which also stars Kareena Kapoor Khan, Mona Singh, and Naga Chaitanya, is due to be released in theatres on 11 August.