“We should let the Government to take the right action against the perpetrators of Pahalgam tragedy. I think every Indian wishes the perpetrators to be brought to justice.” Amir Khan on the recent Phalgam terrorist attack.
· Talking about his latest upcoming movie, Amir Khan said, “Sitare Zameen Par takes the inclusion theme of Taare Zameen Par ten steps forward.
· “I didn’t receive any payment for Lal Singh Chaddha.”: Amir Khan on why he charges only when his film becomes a hit.
· On being asked which character from Mahabharat he would want to portray, Amir Khan hinted, “Krishna’s character inspires me a lot.”
“India does not lack stories; our viewpoints need to change. Bollywood is making bad films. I firmly believe no one can stop a good film and no one can make a bad movie a hit. We have an opportunity to learn and improve,” said Celebrated Actor and Filmmaker Amir Khan at ABP Network’s India @ 2047 Summit, a defining platform that sets the national discourse on India’s transformation into a fully Viksit Bharat by the centenary of its independence.
Amir Khan also shared his views on the factors causing the decline in the industry, saying, “Bollywood has to make better movies like the cinema industry of the south. I find the business model of Bollywood movies a bit surprising; because a theatre release is available at home after 8 weeks of release. So, people would not be interested in going to Cinema halls. The pandemic also contributed to behavioural change in all of us. The gap for a movie from the time of theatre release to be available on satellite TV has reduced drastically.”
Speaking in the session “The Attention Industry: Telling the Best Stories”, Amir Khan took a balanced view of on high focus of box office success, pointing out, “Box office success is an important, but not the only, yardstick to determine the success of a movie.”
He was further asked about the way the entertainment industry could contribute to the development of Viksit Bharat at 2047, Amir Khan said, “I am glad that the current Government is thinking about the welfare of the entertainment industry through a program like Waves. We can work at two levels. Firstly, we can collaborate with the Government to make policy level changes; and secondly, as an industry we should make better movies.”
Sharing his perspective on the help Bollywood would need form the Government, Amir Khan said, “China has about 90,000 movie halls; US has 35000, comparatively India has about 10,000 movie halls. For Hindi movies, we only get 5000 screens. To compete with other nations, we need to increase the number of screens by manifold. Issuing of licenses and offering incentives for creation of associated infrastructure will be helpful.”
Talking about his latest upcoming movie, Amir Khan said, “Sitare Zameen Par takes the inclusion theme of Taare Zameen Par ten steps forward. Comedy is the main vehicle of the movie. The story makes us laugh but brings about a realization.”
Comparing his character in the sequel with that of Tare Zameen par, Amir Khan, said, “My character in Sitare Zameen Par, Gulshan, is a basketball coach. The character is opposite to the role I played in Taare Zameen Par, where Nikumb who is sensitive and empathetic character. On the contrary, Gulshan, is a character who gets angered easily and fights with everyone.” He further added, “We sometimes feel that we are normal and the other person is not. The movie gives the message that everyone has their own normal.”
On asking about the roles for which he didn’t bathe for days, Amir Khan said, “I didn’t bathe for Raakh because I was playing a role of a person who was living on streets. In Ghulam, I didn’t bathe for around a week to ensure continuity because of a long action sequence during climax which I was supposed to incur multiple injuries.”
On being asked about his dream project, Amir Khan said, “Making Mahabharat is a big dream. Mahabharat will not let you down; but you can let it down.”
On being probed as to which character from Mahabharat he would want to portray, Amir Khan hinted, “Krishna’s character inspires me a lot.”
Speaking about his absence from the re-release of his cult classic, Andaz Apna Apna, Amir Khan, said, “We were really shocked and distressed by the news of Pahalgam tragedy. I didn’t have the heart to go for the premiere of the movie.”
Sharing his perspective on he wished as a reaction to the tragedy, Amir Khan said, “We should let the Government to take the right action against the perpetrators of Pahalgam tragedy. I think every Indian wishes the perpetrators to be brought to justice.”
He further shared his experience of visiting Kashmir just after lockdown had ended, saying “After article 370 was passed, when I had visited Srinagar, I found it really peaceful and calm. The pandemic lockdown had just ended so that could have also contributed to the peace and calm, and normalcy was gradually returning.”
“In performing arts, the oldest method of earning livelihood was the artist would seek money after his performance. So, those who are pleased pay for the performance,” Amir Khan responded on being asked why he charges fees only after a movie becomes a hit. “I also don’t charge fees for my movies. My stake is in profit making. If the movie makes a profit, I earn. I didn’t receive any payment for Lal Singh Chaddha. If my movie failed, I should take the responsibility of the failure. I must put my money where my mouth is.”
ABP Network’s India @ 2047 Summit is a premier platform bringing together the country’s most influential voices across governance, business, history, spirituality and culture, science, international diplomacy, sports, music and entertainment to map India’s journey toward becoming a fully developed nation by the 100th year of its independence. Set against the backdrop of an emerging India, the summit serves as a powerful platform for dialogue, vision, and strategy, where national aspirations meet global perspectives. The Summit convenes changemakers and pathbreakers from India and around the world who will shape India’s future narrative in the making of Viksit Bharat.
About ABP Network
An innovative media and content creation company, ABP Network is a credible voice in the broadcast & digital sphere, with a multi-language portfolio of news channels reaching 528 million individuals in India (Source BARC, TG-2+, Mkt- All India, FY 24-25, Cume. Reach). ABP Studios, which comes under the purview of ABP Creations – the content innovation arm of the network – creates, produces, and licenses original, path-breaking content outside of news. ABP Network is a group entity of ABP, which was incorporated almost 100 years ago and continues to reign as a leading media company.