Aamir Khan’s early films are ‘problematic’, says Imran Khan: ‘Raja Hindustani is uncomfortable to watch’
Actor Imran Khan has been away from the film industry for over a decade; his last project was Katti Batti (2015), alongside Kangana Ranaut. Meanwhile, his uncle Aamir Khan is well into the fourth decade of his career, having recently co-produced Laapataa Ladies, and starred in films such as Laal Singh Chaddha, Thugs of Hindostan, Secret Superstar and Dangal. Imran recently shared his thoughts on Aamir’s filmography, and admitted that some of Aamir’s films from the 90s haven’t aged well.
Imran Khan’s Honest Take on Aamir Khan’s 90s Films
In a recent interview with Filmfare, Imran talked about Aamir’s impact on his career, life, and journey as an actor. He also admitted that there are some Aamir films that he doesn’t particularly like, especially those from the 90s era.
“You know, there are some of his 90s films that have not aged well, and when you look at them through a modern lens, they are kind of problematic. There are moments that are quite uncomfortable. Raja Hindustani, which was a staggering hit, is very uncomfortable to watch. You look at it and you go, ‘This is wrong; we are not supposed to,’ so there are a fair amount of 90s films that are uncomfortable by today’s measures.”
Raja Hindustani: A Closer Look
Raja Hindustani (1996) was directed by Dharmesh Darshan. Apart from Aamir, the cast of the film included Karisma Kapoor, Suresh Oberoi, Johnny Lever, Farida Jalal, Navneet Nishan and Mohnish Behl.
Guidance and Influence
Imran also expressed appreciation for Aamir’s help and guidance throughout his career.
“In my own way, I am tremendously led by him. Through life, whenever I am facing a dilemma, I think, ‘What would Aamir do?’ I may not exactly approach it in the same way as him; a lot of our methodologies and beliefs are different, but at its core, he has always been driven by integrity and authenticity. Your guiding principle must come from what is morally justifiable and then what is the most truthful and most authentic way that we can render this story. Those are kind of the core guiding principles which I have learnt from him, which I still adhere to.”
Aamir has produced several of Imran’s films under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions such as Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008) and Delhi Belly (2011). Imran Khan has long been rumoured to be making a comeback to acting, while Aamir has several projects in the pipeline, like Sitaare Zameen Par and Coolie.