"Slumdog Millionaire didn't touch me" - Aamir Khan
Bollywood A-lister and Padmashree awardee, Aamir Khan, joined CNN's special edition of 'TALK ASIA' filmed in front of a live studio audience in Mumbai, where he shared with host Anjali Rao his opinion on leading Bollywood actors, his sentiments on the Mumbai terror attacks and more. CNN 'TALK ASIA' with Aamir Khan will be aired first on Wednesday, March 25 at 1800hrs IST and repeat telecast on Saturday, March 28 at 1000hrs and 2000hrs IST. We bring you the exclusive excerpts of the same:
It's
a
real
pleasure
to
have
you
with
us
today
so
thanks
so
much
for
making
yourself
available
again.
Your
most
recent
film
Ghajini
is
now
the
biggest
Bollywood
success
ever.
Did
you
have
any
idea
that
it
would
be
quite
as
huge
as
it
is?
You
can
hope
that,
you
can
hope
that
for
all
of
your
films.
But
you
can
never
really
tell
until
you
see
the
film
with
the
audience,
how
it's
going
to
play
with
the
audience
in
the
theatre.
So
I
think
in
Ghajini
what
we
set
out
to
make
we
were
in
fact
able
to
achieve
that.
I
realized
that
I'm
making
a
hardcore
mainstream
film
after
really
long,
which
is
fine.
I
guess
I'm
happy
to
do
that.
After
this
movie
made
it
so
big,
people
said
that
you
were
the
real
"King
Khan".
And
that
you'd
kicked
Shahrukh
off
his
perch
because
he
appeals
to
the
masses
but
you've
managed
to
do
this
thing
that
loads
of
actors
would
love
to
do.
In
that
you've
had
both
critical
and
commercial
success
in
spades.
How
do
you
do
that?
How
do
you
stop
from
being
pigeon-holed
in
one
box
or
another?
Well,
you
know
I
just
do
work
which
excites
me
and
which
I
enjoy
doing.
I
just
do
work
which
makes
me
happy.
And
I
have
absolutely
no
intentions
of
kicking
Shahrukh
off
his
pedestal.
Though
I
have
to
say
I
don't
think
he
ever
was
on
it.
(Audience
laughs)
but
in
my
opinion
the
actor
who
I
really
look
up
to
is
Mr.
Bachchan
(the
elder?)
Mr.
Amitabh
Bachchan.
He
is
someone
who's
work
I
really
like
and
he's
a
fantastic
actor
and
the
kind
of
stardom
that
Mr.
Bachchan
has
seen
none
of
us
can
ever
hope
to
see.
So
for
me
he's
the
guy.
Good
Lord,
I
hope
thinking
and
looking
at
your
work
out
doesn't
bring
back
too
many
painful
memories
for
you,
I
mean
were
there
not
days
you
just
went
"oh
for
a
goodness
sake
no
movie
is
worth
this
hell?!"
It
was
tough,
it
was
really
tough,
and
actually
there's
a
joke
in
my
family
and
friends,
when
you
want
to
get
Aamir
to
do
something,
make
a
movie
around
it
and
he'll
end
up
doing
it.
So
I
never
thought
I
would
ever
train,
it's
not
something
I'm
in
to,
but
when
I
had
to
do
it
for
the
film
I
just
went
all
out,
did
the
best
I
could.
It
was
really
painful
and
it
was
really
tough
and
when
I
look
at
myself
like
I
was
the
other
day
looking
at
the
photographs
you
know
how
it
began
and
then
what
I
saw
I
couldn't
believe
it,
I
just
couldn't
believe.
So
when
I
think
about
it
now,
it
just
seems
like
a
distant
dream,
because
in
the
last
eight
months
I
haven't
trained,
because
for
the
new
film
that
I'm
doing,
my
director
looked
at
my
physique
and
said
now
I
want
you
to
lose
all
of
this.
So
I
had
to
work
towards
losing
it
all
for
the
new
film
that
I'm
shooting
for.
You're
not
only
a
major
actor
but
you
also
had
your
directorial
debut
in
Taare
Zameen
Par.
What
was
it
like
for
you
switching
to
the
other
side
of
the
camera,
at
the
same
time
obviously
and
starring
in
it?
It
was
tough,
mainly
because
I
wasn't
meant
to
direct
the
film
to
begin
with.
So
I
kind
of
jumped
in
a
week
into
the
shoot.
I
just
went
with
my
gut.
Actually
I
didn't
even
have
time
to
think,
quite
honestly.
And
now
when
I
look
back
I
realize
that
I
had
reached
a
point
in
my
career
where
I
had
wanted
to
direct
a
film
for
really
long,
and
the
pressure
kept
keeping
me
away
from
it.
The
fact
that
it
happened
this
way
didn't
give
me
a
chance
to
think
and
decide,
you
know.
I
just
jumped
into
it
because
I
had
to,
and
I
ended
up
making
the
film,
you
know,
to
the
best
of
my
abilities.
So
I
didn't
really,
you
know
maybe
if
I
hadn't
done
that
I
wouldn't
be
directing
for
the
next
10
years
more,
I
don't
know.
So
I
guess
I'm
glad
it
happened
finally
because
I'm
happy
with
the
way
the
film
turned
out
and
I'm
happy
with
the
way
the
kind
of
impact
it
had
on
people.
Lagaan
was
nominated
for
an
Oscar
back
in
2001.
And
that
movie
was
very
much
credited
at
the
time
with
putting
Bollywood
on
the
map.
How
important
do
you
think
it
is
though
for
Indian
movies
to
be
recognized
by
the
West?
Lagaan
was
made
for
an
Indian
audience.
That
it
was
appreciated
and
travelled
across
the
world,
and
people
you
know,
from
different
places
loved
the
film,
it
was
great
and
we
were
all
happy
about
it,
we
were
thrilled.
But
if
we
hadn't
done
that,
it
wouldn't
have
mattered
as
much
as
what
the
Indian
audience
thought
of
it.
If
you
know
what
I'm
trying
to
say.
So
up
till
now,
we
have
all
been
making
films
for
our
own
audience,
which
is
really
large
and
healthy.
And
we
haven't
really
looked
at
an
international
audience.
We
haven't
thought
of
entertaining
them,
or
attempting
to
entertain
them.
I
think
the
day
we
do
decide
to
do
that
I
think
we'll
do
alright.
Slumdog
Millionaire
was
a
huge
eye
opener,
I
think,
but
you
know
for
all
the
accolades
that
it
got
around
the
world,
there
were
plenty
here
in
India
who
slammed
it.
What
did
you
think
of
it?
It
didn't
touch
me
personally.
Emotionally
it
didn't
do
anything
for
me.
And
I
suspect
it
is
because
I
am
not
used
to
watching
Indians
speak
English.
So
you
know,
all
these
slum
kids
talking
in
English,
and
the
cop...I
find
it
very
strange...it
didn't
work
for
me
because
of
that
problem.
You
were
extremely
vocal
in
your
blog
about
what
was
happening
when
Mumbai
was
under
siege.
Just
take
us
through
what
was
going
on
with
you
personally
during
that
time.
Well
it
was
really
devastating.
I
mean
it
was
like
a
nightmare,
I
couldn't
believe
it
was
happening.
And
it
was
also
very
shocking
to
see,
you
know,
the
audacity
with
which
these
attacks
were
carried
out.
All
the
lives
that
were
lost
and
so
many
thoughts
going
through
my
head
at
that
time.
And
it
was
really
sad
that...
that
I
mean
we
live
in
a
day
and
age
today
where
there
all
over
the
world
there
are
people,
certain
number
of
people
at
least,
who
feel
that
this
is
how
they
want
to
make
a
point,
or
want
to
be
heard,
or
want
to
hit
back,
by
killing
innocent
people.
Doesn't
make
sense
to
me
but
I
guess,
I
mean
that's
how
it
is,
that's
how
it
is
in
the
world
today.
Certainly
you
were
speaking
to
the
government
in
part
in
your
blogs
as
well,
by
you
know,
saying
not
to
negotiate
with
terrorists.
But
you
also
seemed
quite
critical
of
what
the
leadership
was
doing
at
the
time.
Is
that
how
you
felt?
No,
I
wasn't
actually.
I
wasn't
critical
of
the
leadership
at
that
time.
Because
I
think
at
that
time
they
were
doing
the
best
that
they
could.
But
I
am
critical
about,
how
a
number
of
the
leaders
have
been
using
religion
and
cast
in
our
politics
for
decades
now.
And
that
only,
you
know,
polarizes
people.
It
spreads
a
lot
of
poison
and
negativity
in
society.
Your
response
to
the
Mumbai
terror
strikes,
sort
of
threw
back
memories
of
your
2006
movie
Rang
De
Basanti
hit,
which
was,
you
know,
very
political,
widely
hailed
as
really
getting
the
youth
of
this
country
involved
in
politics.
Is
it
important
to
you
as
well
to
make
movies
that
aren't
just
about
candy
floss?
Yes
of
course.
I
think
that
the
kind
of
person
I
am,
I
get
attracted
to
certain
kind
of
stories.
So
I
can't
help
it,
I
mean,
you
know.
A
film
like
a
story
like
Rang
De
Basanti
comes
to
me
and
it
actually
inspires
me
first.
You
know
I
feel,
Wow,
this
is
something
I
wanna
be
part
of.
And
you
know
so
first
it
affects
me.
There's
a
certain
formula
that
works
very
well
in
Bollywood.
But
back
in
2001,
Lagaan
completely
went
against
any
of
that
formula,
you
know.
It
was
a
film
that
nobody
wanted
to
take
on,
a
script
that
nearly
died.
It
was
more
than
three
and
a
half
hours
long,
full
of
you
know,
a
cast
of
relative
unknowns,
compared
to
you.
And
yet
the
film
was
a
smash
hit...
Now
you
obviously
took
on
that
project
because
you
believed
that
it
would
work.
But
did
other
people
think
that
you
were
just
bonkers?
Yeah.
Well
they
think
that
all
the
time
actually.
Every
time
I
start
a
film
they're
like
hmmm
this
time
he's
going
to
really
mess
it
up.
Everyone
who
knew
me
was
like,
'He's
nuts,
he's
really
done
it
this
time.
And
then
when
I
did
Dil
Chahta
Hai
also,
or
you
know,
even
Rang
De
Basanti,
Taare
Zameen
Par
they
were
like
hmm
childcare
and
education,
ok.
But
it's
also
exciting,
you
know
when
you
pick
things
which
are
unusual
and
difficult
and
are
breaking
the
rules
of
mainstream
cinema.
Nobody
would
produce
Lagaan.
So
in
the
end
after
a
bit
of
convincing,
you
had
to
step
in
and
do
it.
But
it
sounds
like
there
were
major
issues
with
it.
I
mean,
there
was
one
scene
where
you
had
to
find
10,000
villagers
from
somewhere
and
the
town
wasn't
even
built
yet.
As
a
producer,
you
would've
had
to
handle
that,
I
guess.
So
just
talk
me
through
some
of
the
hurdles
that
you
had
to
get
over
to
do
this
movie.
Well,
Lagaan
was
especially
difficult
film
to
do.
I
mean
period
and
very
large
cast,
so
many
actors
you
know.
And
just
getting
everyone
ready
for
the
first
shot
at
eight
o'clock
was,
you
have
to
reach
there
at
four
and
start
getting
ready
it
was
quite
insane.
In
the
morning?
In
the
morning,
yes.
And
the
cricket
was
really
tough.
Because
you
know
the
ball
and
the
bat
doesn't
do
what
you
want
it
to
do.
And
the
10,000
day
was
a
big
one
because
we
had
to
put
a
lot
of
teams,
went
into
villages,
and
said
listen
we're
shooting
a
film,
and
a
lot
of
these
villagers
haven't
seen
a
film
in
their
lives.
Let
alone
act
in
it.
After
the
break,
as
Bollywood
actors
go,
Aamir
puts
the
private
in
private
life,
still
that
doesn't
mean
that
we're
not
gonna
be
getting
personal.
The
house
that
we
saw
in
that
clip,
you
spent
a
lot
of
time
there
as
a
kid,
apparently.
Well
not
that
house
in
particular
but
in
Panchgani,
in
that
hill
station.
What
kind
of
a
childhood
did
you
have?
Well,
fairly
standard
actually.
I
think
my
parents
looked
after
us
very
well.
We
had
a
fairly
sheltered
life.
I
mean
my
parents
were
really
against
me
getting
into
films.
I
come
from
a
film
family.
My
father
and
uncle
were
both
filmmakers.
And
I
faced
hell
at
home.
It
was
like
there's
no
way
you're
getting
into
films.
But
I
don't
usually
listen
to
people.
I
just
do
what
I
feel
like.
And
then
when
they
realized...
actually
it
was
more
because
they
were
concerned
for
me,
you
know.
Every
parent
is
concerned
for
their
children.
And
they
had
been
through
this
line
and
this
profession
is
so
uncertain.
You
know
one
day
you're
up
there,
the
next
day
you're
nobody
and...it's
a
really
harsh
profession.
When
you
look
back
at
your
transformation
over
those
years.
And
when
you
look
at
those
clips
from
the
80s
and
90s
do
you
go
you
know
what
I'm
really
proud
of
that
or
do
you
go
'Oh
God!
I
just
want
to
die'?
I
get
totally
embarrassed.
Usually
you
know
when
I
finish
a
film
within
six
months
I
feel
eh,
this
is
not
good
enough.
This
is
where
we've
messed
up,
and
we
could've
done
this,
and
I've
grown
so
much
as
an
actor
and
I
can
do
this
much
better
now.
I
don't
like
my
work
usually
after
some
time,
I
don't
like
it
anymore.
That's
gonna
be
tough,
because
you're
gonna
keep
seeing
it?
Sooner
I
just
don't
see
it.
I
stop
seeing
my
work.
I
see
it
a
lot
when
I'm
on
the
film
and
you
know,
I
see
it
with
the
audience,
while
it
releases,
that's
one
thing
I
do
for
all
my
films.
I
watch
them
with
the
audience.
And
the
audience
don't
know
I'm
in
the
theatre.
How
do
they
not
know?
They
don't
know
because
they're
already
in
there.
And
then
I
walk
in,
I
stand
at
the
back,
I
go
into
the
projection
room,
those
windows
there,
peep
out
and
I
can
see
everyone,
I
can
hear
them.
So
you
can
see
them
shifting
in
their
seats
if
they
don't
like
the
scene.
You
can
actually
see
that
happen.
So
when
the
film
is
not
working,
you'll
suddenly
hear
a
lot
of
chairs
you
know,
chair
sounds...shifting,
coughing,
so
you
know
you're
losing
the
audience
there.
Did
you
go
in
to
the
projection
room
and
watch
movies
that
didn't
do
so
well
like
Mela
and
Mann?
Yes
I
did.
Yes
I
did.
It's
heartbreaking.
It's
really
heartbreaking.
But
I
think
that's
what
I'm
making
these
films
for,
you
know.
I
want,
I'm
making
for
the
audience
and
I
wanna
be
there
to
see
how
they
like
it.
And
if
they
don't,
I
wanna
be
there
to
see
that.
If
you
had
to
name
a
characteristic
of
yours
that's
gotten
you
through,
that's
helped
you
to
make
it
to
be
as
big
a
star
as
you
are
now,
what
would
it
be?
I
think
for
me
it's
been,
I've
always
done
what
makes
me
happy.
I
realized
very
early
in
my
career
that
you
know,
whenever
I'm
taking
a
decision
which
I
think
is
the
correct
decision,
or
I
ought
to
be
doing
this.
Whenever
I've
done
that,
I've
failed
miserably.
Whenever
I
thought
I
was
being
smart,
I've
ended
up
making
an
ass
out
of
myself.
But
whenever
I
did
what
I
felt
like
doing,
it
worked
for
me.
No
matter
how
ridiculous
it
may
have
seemed
to
others
and
no
matter
how
impractical
it
may
have
seemed...
but
whenever
I
followed
my
heart
and
done
what
makes
me
happy,
it's
worked
for
me.