Aamir Khan As The Modern Dronacharya!

The timing of every Aamir Khan film raises an intriguing question . Does he nurse a secret saviour complex?.

 

- Maithili Rao

It feels good to start the New Year with a capsule review of Aamir Khan’s evolution as actor/producer. Dangal redefines the inspirational film in the Indian context of gender inequality. I may be wrong, but I see a distinct difference in Aamir the actor in his own productions, and landmark films that capture moments of contemporary history produced by others. It seems the actor is freer to take chances with his image and screen persona when he is the producer, and when he allows his star power to be used as the magnet and thematic centre — willingly — under other banners, than when he uses his image as the thinking perfectionist to appeal to all segments of the audience. Be it 3 Idiots or PK, the other actors orbit around Aamir the sun, the director’s craft maintaining the gravitational force required to keep everything in balance. But make no mistake, it is the Aamir character who is central to the theme and plot, even where other actors are important parts of the unfolding saga. All the major films are sagas centered around the inspirational savior, be he the alien from a more advanced civilisation or the brilliant loner who escapes the rigid educational system that demands conformity

The two exceptions are Dil Chahta Hai and Rang De Basanti. In Farhan Akhtar’s seminal film — it retains its freshness to this day — about male friendship, Akshaye Khanna’s painter is as important as the cynical, rich brat Aamir, who doesn’t believe in commitment, while Saif Ali Khan provides self-deprecating comic glue. Rakeysh Mehra makes the quartet of friends the driving force of youthful change under Aamir’s laidback leadership in Rang De Basanti. When it comes to Lagaan, Taare Zameen Par and