Aamir Khan Interview: Talks about PK, OMG, Godmen and Dangal

In a group interview on Monday (December 22), Aamir Khan spoke about his recently released film PK, comparisons with OMG! Oh My God, Spiritual leader (aka Godmen) and Dangal.

Q. Are you happy with the response that PK has got?

AK: Yes, I am very happy with the response to the film. A lot of people from the film fraternity have texted me saying that it is my best performance to date, which is really encouraging. I have worked really hard. PK is one of the toughest films of my career.

Q. What do you have to say about the similarities between PK and OMG! Oh My God?

AK: Thematically PK and OMG! Oh My God are similar, but the plot is totally different. The characters and circumstances of both films are different from each other. Numerous films have been made on the same lines. In fact, I feel there should be 10 more films in the space of OMG! Oh My God and PK.

PK’s box office collection is only rising and that is an indication that people are watching the film and liking it.

Q. There was a news yesterday that you offered Rs 8 crore to OMG! Oh My God director Umesh Shukla to stop him from making his film.

AK: It’s all fabricated news. Please call Umesh Shukla or you can even call Paresh Rawal to check. This is absurd. You should be very careful about what you read and what you believe.

Q. There have been extreme and strong reactions to the film on social media. There was a call to boycott the film.

AK: I won’t call it a strong response. Every time I do something there are people who go against it. During Satyamave Jayate some people took to social media and started spreading rumours that we collect money and give it to religious organisations, and I am clicking photographs with terrorists. Those who want to maintain the status quo and do not want to change anything because that is in their interest, are deceiving you. They won’t like this film. It’s more like a parda phaash for them.

Even in Satyamev Jayate, we have seen many times that people who benefit from the status quo do not want it to change. They are usually the guys you need to be careful about. I have stopped reacting to these things as I don’t know what their agenda is.

Q. Ticket prices has been a big concern. Rates in some theatres are as high as Rs 750. Manoj Desai, owner of Gaiety-Galaxy and Maratha Mandir cinemas in Mumbai has refused to screen PK. He says that you should intervene in the matter.

AK: I am not in control of the ticket prices. That is decided by the exhibitors. To my knowledge, tickets rates at multiplexes vary for morning and evening shows and prices are lower on week days. Our films are running in single screen theatres also. A single screen like Nandi in Bandra (a suburb of Mumbai) is selling tickets at Rs 60.

I believe Manoj Desai said that we don’t want to sell it to single screens, but there are several single screen cinemas in Mumbai and across India that are showing PK. I have been assured that we have kept the interest of the common man in mind.

Q. There is a scene in the film where your character is running behind Lord Shiva. This has offended a lot of Hindu groups. They accuse the film of hurting their religious sentiments.

AK: We respect all religions. All my Hindu friends have seen the film and they didn’t find anything hurtful in it. Raju is Hindu. So is Vinod and so is Abhijat. In fact, 99 per cent of the crew was Hindu. No one would have done such a thing. I respect everyone’s viewpoints, their feelings and their opinions. Utmost care has been taken in telling the story in a sensitive manner and not a sensational manner.

Q. The film takes a dig at a godman, which hasn’t gone down well with some spiritual leaders.

AK: There are a lot of genuine spiritual gurus who will make you feel better. They inspire and enrich you with ideas and they are great spiritual leaders. This film does not target them. It is for those who are corrupt and are trying to take advantage of you to sell their products. To pray, talk or communicate with God and share my feelings or troubles, I don’t need a mediator. You are taking a break from television in 2015.

Q. When will you start work on your next film Dangal?

AK: I haven’t signed any film right now. I can tell you 30 more rumours about me doing some film. Right now, I am just reading scripts.

Q. But your physique seems to suggest that you are preparing for the role of a wrestler in Dangal.

AK: The moment I sign something I will update you.

Q. How do you plan to celebrate the New Year? Do you have any resolutions?

I am planning to have a quiet time with Kiran, her parents, our son Azad and my mother. I don’t have any resolutions as such but I’d like to be moderate in my life. I am a complete extremist. I do things in extreme and in the process I sometimes end up making mistakes. So I’ll learn a bit about how to be moderate.