Aamir
Khan
on
being
a
marketing
monster,
feeling
powerful,
doing
bench
presses,
ganging
up
with
Salman
on
SRK,
handling
flops
and
being
surrounded
by
gopis.
What
was
it
about
Ghajini
that
made
you
want
to
do
it?
I
found
the
Tamil
version
to
be
extremely
engaging
and
entertaining.
It
intrigued
me
but
I
made
up
my
mind
when
I
met
the
director,
AR
Murugadoss.
Frankly,
I
was
completely
taken
in
by
his
infectious
positive
energy
and
childlike
excitement.
Regarding
the
eight
packs,
has
Ghajini
been
your
physically
most
demanding
film
-more
than
Mangal
Pandey
or
Lagaan?
Every
film
has
its
own
demands
but
yes,
Ghajini
was
physically
daunting
because
I
had
to
train
very
hard.
I
had
to
keep
at
it
and
not
lose
patience.
I
had
an
athletic
body
but
the
director
wanted
me
to
bulk
up
with
eight
packs
which
was
a
challenge
because
I
didn't
know
if
I
could
achieve
it.
So,
in
a
way,
Ghajini
made
me
resilient.
Post
26/11,
do
you
think
the
timing
of
its
release
was
unfavorable,
especially
keeping
in
view
its
violent
content?
Personally,
the
attack
is
far
greater
and
serious
an
issue
for
me
than
the
release
of
my
film.
That
said
I
was
very
clear
that
if
the
film
is
good,
it'll
work.
The
collections
prove
it.
Do
Ghajini's
thumping
collections
make
you
feel
powerful?
Power
doesn't
figure
in
my
hierarchy
of
needs.
I
won't
use
the
word
powerful;
rather
I'd
say
it
makes
me
feel
happy
and
blessed.
When
Taare
Zameen
Par
(TZP)
reaches
so
many
people
and
changes
so
many
lives,
I
don't
feel
powerful
but
gratified.
When
did
you
last
feel
powerful?
(Thinks
hard)
I
guess
when
I
did
my
last
set
of
bench
press!
If
TZP
gets
you
an
Oscar,
maybe
then
you'd
feel
powerful?
(Shrugs)
I'm
not
thinking
of
the
Oscar.
Right
now,
I'm
focused
on
Ghajini
and
3
Idiots.
If
we
make
it
to
the
final
five
nominations
which
will
be
announced
on
January
22,
then
I'll
think
of
the
Oscar.
I'll
let
you
know
what
I
feel
then.
(Laughs)
Over
the
last
five
years,
you've
become
this
monstrous
marketing
god;
can
you
tell
us
how
and
when
do
you
start
planning
the
marketing
strategy?
(Laughs)
When
I
plan
the
marketing
strategy,
I
try
to
understand
the
core
values
of
the
film.
Each
film
has
a
unique
marketing
demand.
I
have
about
nine
people
in
my
marketing
team.
We
brainstorm
together.
Our
guiding
principle
is
that
cinema
is
a
form
of
mass
communication
and
we
have
to
tell
the
audience
the
core
values
of
our
film.
Once
the
film
is
complete,
we
see
it
and
plan
the
strategy
as
to
how
to
prepare
the
people
for
this
particular
film.
Today,
marketing
is
an
important
part
of
filmmaking.
You
need
to
make
the
audience
excited
about
the
film;
you
need
to
create
the
right
atmosphere.
But
don't
you
think
sometimes
you
go
overboard,
like
giving
the
Ghajini
haircut
to
the
ushers
the
day
Shahrukh
Khan's
Rab
Ne
Bana
Di
Jodi
released?
(Shrugs)
It
was
a
part
of
our
marketing
strategy.
We
were
going
to
do
that
two
weeks
before
the
release
of
Ghajini
irrespective
of
the
film
that
was
playing.
We
had
initially
planned
to
release
Ghajini
on
October
2
but
pushed
it
back
after
my
leg
injury.
We
would
have
done
the
same
thing
then
too.
There
are
two
principles
that
I
follow
when
I
market
my
films:
we
should
honestly
represent
the
film
to
not
mislead
the
audience
and
we
shouldn't
do
anything
negative.
I'm
very
clear
that
while
I
do
my
best,
I
should
not
harm
anyone
else.
As
for
giving
the
ushers
the
Ghajini
haircut,
we
wanted
it
to
be
like
a
trailer.
At
the
end
of
it,
you
can
do
as
much
publicity
as
you
want
but
ultimately
it's
the
film
that
matters.
But
there
is
some
undercurrent
with
SRK,
isn't
it?
You
two
have
been
taking
digs
at
each
other.
We
have
high
regard
for
each
other.
If
you
look
at
his
interviews,
you
will
see
that
Shahrukh
only
talks
about
himself,
makes
digs
at
others
and
puts
others
down.
He
talks
really
big
but
he's
a
charming
guy.
I
have
no
hesitation
in
saying
that
I'm
charmed
by
SRK.
It's
just
that
media
takes
an
extreme
stand;
it
pits
us
as
either
enemies
or
as
best
friends.
As
for
all
our
back-and-forth
talks,
it
just
shows
that
both
of
us
have
a
good
sense
of
humour.
Aren't
you
and
Salman
Khan
ganging
up
on
SRK,
especially
with
Salman
painting
your
Ghajini
look
and
you
sporting
his
charitable
organization's
(Being
Human)
tee
at
a
media
event?
(Smiles)
We're
not
ganging
up.
Both
Salman
and
Shah
Rukh
are
my
friends.
I
didn't
ask
Salman
to
paint
me;
he
did
it
on
his
own.
As
for
me
wearing
his
tee,
if
Salman
is
doing
something
noble
in
starting
an
organization
that'll
help
needy
people,
I'm
happy
to
support
him.
Do
you
agree
you're
a
control
freak?
I'm
not
a
control
freak.
I'm
realistic
about
my
limits.
When
I
act
in
a
film,
it's
the
director
who
is
the
boss.
It's
not
my
responsibility
to
control
the
film.
But
I'm
always
there
if
the
director
wants
any
help
or
suggestion.
I
just
go
with
the
flow.
In
the
20
years
that
you've
been
here,
has
there
been
any
shift
in
your
guiding
principle
of
making
movies?
Not
at
all.
I've
always
done
films
I
believe
in.
I've
always
had
an
emotional
approach
to
my
work.
This
is
my
life
so
I
only
want
to
do
those
films
that
I
really
want
to
be
a
part
of.
I've
gone
wrong
quite
a
few
times
especially
in
the
first
six
months
of
my
career
after
Qayamat
Se
Qayamat
Tak
when
I
signed
every
film
offered
to
me.
But
they
were
all
my
decisions.
I've
learnt
quickly
from
my
failures.
How
badly
does
a
flop
affect
you?
I'm
very
emotionally
involved
with
my
films.
If
ever
I
have
to
face
a
failure,
I'd
like
to
take
full
responsibility
for
it.
Even
the
failure
is
mine,
I
like
to
value
my
flops
and
hold
them
close
to
me.
I
like
to
mourn
my
failure
and
try
to
learn
from
it.
What
do
you
want
your
legacy
to
be?
I'm
very
ambitious.
I'd
like
to
do
work
of
the
level
people
haven't
seen
before.
I
want
to
raise
the
bar
as
an
actor,
producer
and
director.
I'd
like
to
do
films
that
would
live
on
much
after
I'm
no
longer
there.
Even
if
someone
sees
Lagaan
200
years
later,
he
should
say,
"Who's
that
guy,
yaar?"
Is
there
any
role
you
haven't
done
and
are
dying
to
attempt?
I
really
find
Mahabharata
fascinating.
I
would
love
to
play
Karan,
who
was
6
'3
and
a
born
warrior.
So,
I
don't
think
I
fit
the
part
physically
but
emotionally
I
do.
I
think
the
part
I
suit
the
best
would
be
that
of
Krishna.
When
I
was
in
KG,
I
had
these
really
chubby
cheeks.
Girls
would
find
me
cute
and
surround
me.
I
also
used
to
eat
makhan
all
the
time
so
my
mom
would
call
me
Krishna
and
the
girls
my
gopis.