Aamir Khan about Forrest Gump redesign, regrets of his career and time with his children

It became a tradition for Aamir Khan to spend the first half of his birthday with the media – cutting multiple cakes, taking pictures, and chatting with a handful of journalists. And the celebration of his 54th birthday in Mumbai last Thursday was no different. Aamir spent the morning at a football match with his youngest son Azad before interacting with the media. Aamir, who was last seen last year in the disastrous Thugs of Hindostan took this opportunity to announce his next project – the official adaptation of Tom Hank's clbadic, Forrest Gump. The title of the film is Lal Singh Chaddha and will be directed by the creator of Secret Superstar Advait Chandan. The film will be a co-production of Aamir's production house and Viacom18 Motion Pictures.

Between the cup cake and the moment he goes to get his son to school and takes him for a birthday treat, Aamir talked about movies that have his wife, Kiran Rao, does not want not that he is changing and the books he is reading now.

Why did you decide to adapt Forrest Gump ?

The writer of this film is Atul Kulkarni (actor) and it is a strange story. When we were doing Rang De Basanti (2006), he asked me one day what was my favorite movie. And I told Forrest Gump. Exactly two weeks later, he told me that he had a script for me. He had never written anything before, so I was surprised and asked him what it was all about. He did not tell me anything but he asked me to take the time to listen to him. One month pbaded, then another, because I was busy. Finally, just for me to listen, he revealed to me that he had adapted Forrest Gump.

Apparently, after telling him that Forrest Gump was my favorite movie, he developed a screenplay in the next 10 days. And that made me want to not listen to it anymore! (Laughs) It's Forrest Gump, and it's Atul – I was wondering what he had to write … I just could not bring myself to take it seriously! But he did not stop me and finally I heard him two and a half or three years later. He did not stop to remind me, so I finally gave in and decided to listen to his story.

After enjoying Atul's adaptation, we started to get the rights of the film. It took us eight years to do it. Obviously, we could not do the film without the rights. Advait (Chandan) will do it and we will shoot this film through Delhi, Punjab and Himachal (Pradesh) perhaps, mainly in the north. We still make recognitions to find places.

Many people think that you look like Tom Hanks.

(laughs) Yes, I am being compared all the time. I do not know why, because when I see Tom Hanks, I do not see many similarities. Its energy is similar to mine and its eyes are similar, so you get the feeling more than the cut of the face. Do you know who said that to me first? Gautam Rajadhyaksha, who was a photographer and is no more. He had exhibited his pictures in Los Angeles in the 90s, four or five years after he started playing. When he came back, he said that almost everyone on the show was asking him when he had shot Tom Hanks! Even then, I wondered because he has curly hair and a different appearance.

It's been two decades since you started your production company, Aamir Khan Productions, to produce Lagaan. Since then, you have produced nine films. Most production companies have four or five films in progress. Are you very picky about the type of movies you produce too?

We do not make movies. When we produce movies, business is not our first agenda. Our goal is always to find a scenario that fascinates us as a team. As when Svati (Chakravarty Bhatkal) told us about Rubaru Roshni, we were very excited. I told him that I will produce it. His next question was, "Where will the documentary be shown?" If I were a regular producer, this would have been my biggest concern, as well as knowing how are we going to market the documentary. I told him not to worry and to do it because it was a fantastic idea.

At the beginning of your career, almost 30 years ago, in an interview, you had said that you had not done 1942: A love story because you n & # 39; Did not have dates … [19659002] No, I did not like the script. I had to give excuses for the dates at that time, but it's been so long since I can tell you the truth. I did not like the script. I even told Vinod (Vinod Chopra, the director of the film) that he should not do the movie.

During these 30 years, did you regret the refusal of any film? Not because it was very successful, but because it took a different form from what you had imagined?

Nahin … I have no regrets. For example, I was offered Saajan. I do not remember what character it was and I did not think it was my type of movie. Sanju (Sanjay Dutt) and Salman (Khan) did it and it became a super hit duper. Maybe if I had made this movie, I would have ruined it. When I saw Munna Bhai's films, I did not think I should have played the role, even if it had been offered to me. I was just happy to see a good movie.

Have there been any movies that you would have liked not to have shot?

Oh yes! There were several at the beginning of my career. But I did not really regret them. The mistakes I 've made in my career have made me who I am today. Every fall has taught me a lot. I am here today because of my successes, but mostly because of my failures. They were the greatest learning for me.

When you started in the 80s and made films like Raakh and Holi, you wanted to become a filmmaker. You are not very sure of being an actor. During these 30 years, you made a film – Taare Zameen Paar. You do not want to run anymore?

In fact, I have always been very interested in cinema. I was not supposed to run TZP but I ended up doing it. I have always been in love with acting and staging and I can not separate the two. I've always thought that as soon as I start directing, I'll stop playing. And I do not want to stop acting for the moment. That's why I've mastered all my cravings for achievement for the moment.

When your children Junaid and Ira were younger, you worked on several movies at the same time. Do you believe you have managed to spend more time with Azad now that you only make one movie a year?

In fact, I was as busy as now. I think I have spent so much time with them too … there is not much difference. If I shoot now, I will not see Azad before three or four months. Like when I was outdoors for Dangal, I did not see him for months. My problem is that I do not even remember when I shoot a movie … I forget that I even have a family, a wife and children. I am very absorbed in my work.

Do Your Children Never Get angry?

A little. In fact, Kiran told me this a few years ago: "You do not really care about us". But it's important to understand that it was not a complaint, but simply an observation. We have a room upstairs, like an office; This is where Kiran and I always sit and talk. In fact, she thought and said that they did not exist for me, so I asked her what she meant. And she said they were not on my periphery because my mind is always somewhere else, I think about work, even when I'm physically with them. She said that she knew that I loved them and that she was not sure I wanted to change, because if I did, I would not be the person she fell in love with.

What she said is the truth and she does not even complain, but I felt it was not good and that I should spend more time with the children and with her. It's not that I did not want it, it never occurred to me. Since then, I made it a point to go home at 6 pm and spend the next two hours with Azad and her. And then at 20h, I start working again. But these two hours that we spend together, I give a bath to Azad, feed him then I read him. I will not say that I managed to do it every day, but I try to do it as much as possible.

There was a flood of young stars in the area. Your son, Junaid, is also interested in cinema but we have no news of his launch.

I think everything depends on him. He should take his life in hand and make his own decision. I do not want to make those decisions for him. He certainly has an inclination for the creative world. He studied drama and is currently more interested in theater than movies. He is very brilliant. Just like my daughter Ira.

You have always preferred books to movies. What are you reading right now?

That's right. I prefer to read and do not watch too many movies. For now, I'm about to start a book called Behave. I have just finished reading Jerusalem. I have also recently read a book by Agatha Christie. I choose my books based on people's recommendations. Sometimes Kiran will recommend something and I will read it. I love books that deal with history or anthropology. One of my favorites is a book called Sapiens, devoted to anthropology. My other favorite is the one on biology, called The Lives of a Cell. This book is beautiful and should be part of the 9-10 curriculum. It just expands your mind and your understanding of life. It makes you think of the decisions you think you make, but there are millions of different cells in your body that have different requirements and make you do different things. It's a fascinating book.