Diminutive but definitive, Aamir Khan brings to the Bollywood screen a will to experiment and a desire to be perfect. After making his debut in 'Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak' (1988), Khan went on to act in a dozen commercial duds before discovering the perfectionist in himself. Post 'Ghulam' (1997) it has been a different Aamir on play. He defied all conventional norms as a producer and decided to make Ashutosh Gowariker's 'Lagaan', a mock period film with a message.
Aamir Khan approaches acting as if he is an 'ambitious' sage on penance. Even the minutest gesticulation is broken up into detailed micro moments and enacted with panache. Such fanatic adherence to theory has helped Khan come out with flying colours in movies such as 'Lagaan', 'Dil Chahta Hai', 'Rang De Basanti', 'Taare Zameen Par', and 'Ghajini'. But it has also ended up in his overworking on the character and leaving absolutely no space for spontaneity, as was evident in the weak portrayal of Mangal Pandey. Aamir's acting is more a dissection than an exploration. The result: He is consistently good and rarely excellent.
In 2000, Aamir also acted in the critically acclaimed 'Dil Chahta Hai'. In this decade, Aamir reinvented himself with every new movie of his. He took a three year break after 'Dil Chahta Hai' and returned with 'Mangal Pandey The Rising' (2005). The film was a dud both critically and commercially. Aamir took revenge by scoring four back-to-back hits with 'Rang De Basanti', 'Fanaa', 'Taare Zameen Par' and 'Ghajini'.
Says Aamir: "I enjoy the love I receive from my fans and my audience. But I think I know what is real for me and what is not. Every film I do means a lot to me. Their failures make a difference to me. I am not comfortable with the idea of my films not releasing to their full potential. You really have to believe in what you're doing and the way you're doing it. And above all, you have to enjoy yourself. That's the way it is with me. I'm not looking for anything in a particular script. When I'm reading a script, I become the audience, and if what I read moves me and excites me and I really love listening to or reading the script, then that is the script I choose to do. It's all instinct."
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