Aamir Khan, one of India’s biggest movie stars, is currently doing the international media rounds to support Laapataa Ladies (Lost Ladies), the latest flick he produced through his eponymous production house.
The Hindi film, which is directed by Kiran Rao, follows two brides, whose identities are hidden by an elaborate bridal head covering, who get mixed up on the eve of their wedding days, setting them on the paths of very different destinies from those they had envisaged.
Khan, who has starred in some of India’s most enduring big screen hits like 3 Idiots and Peepli Live, found the screenplay for Laapataa Ladies a few years back while serving on a screenplay competition jury in India.
“I thought it was a beautiful script and knew I wanted to make it into a film,” he told us during an interview in London where he hosted a series of screenings for awards voters. “I also knew Kiran [Rao] had been looking for a script to direct.”
Laapataa Ladies is Rao’s second feature as a director and her first film in 13 years. Her debut, Mumbai Diaries (2010), screened at the Toronto Film Festival and became a cult hit in India, finding acclaim with critics and the arthouse crowd. Khan also produced that film and had a starring role. Laapataa Ladies, however, has had a broader appeal and cracked the top 10 on Netflix where it landed after a theatrical release in India. The film has also been selected as India’s submission for the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards.
Below, Khan speaks to us about developing Laapataa Ladies and his process as a producer.
“I’m not a very budget-conscious producer,” he joked of his work behind the camera.
The big screen veteran also discusses what he described as the current shifts in Indian cinema and what he aims to do next with his production company.
DEADLINE: Aamir, you found this film while serving on a screenplay competition jury?
AAMIR KHAN: Yes, I was part of this scriptwriting competition, which was meant to encourage young writers across India. I was one of four people on the jury. I came across this screenplay and I fell in love with it. I thought it was a beautiful script and knew I wanted to make it into a film. I also knew Kiran [Rao] had been looking for a script to direct. When I read the script her name popped into my head immediately. I thought she was the right person to direct this film, so I took it to her, and I’m so glad she liked the script and ran with it. She’s made a gem of a film.
DEADLINE: Why was Kiran the right director for this project?
KHAN: Kiran and I have worked closely together as producers. I produced her first film. I also acted in it. So I’m very aware of her strengths, and one of her big strengths is the honesty with which she approaches a film. That is what was needed for this film because it’s a very dramatic plot. So I didn’t want a director to pitch it any higher than it already was. I wanted a director who was honest with the material. In reality, the more honest you are the more the drama can bloom. And that was her approach. There’s also the balance between satire and the many important issues at play. She managed to keep the right balance.
DEADLINE: How involved are you as a producer? I can imagine it’s probably quite daunting for some of the actors having you around on set.
KHAN: I don’t usually go to set unless I’m acting. When I select a director for a film, I have full confidence in them. I get involved during the green lighting stage, and then, of course, the final draft of the script and casting. I also advise on locations. So all the big decisions in prep. I also usually drop in and see some of the rehearsals. After that, the director goes away and makes the film and I see it after they’ve edited it to their satisfaction. I’m also very active in the release of a film. We follow a very rigorous testing process. So we test the film with varied audiences so that we are comfortable that what we are communicating is being received correctly. Because sometimes as a creative person, you’re so close to the material that you are communicating that you’re not aware that maybe it isn’t being received. This comes up in test screenings.
DEADLINE: It’s been over two decades since you started your production house. Why did you originally decide to produce?
KHAN: I became a producer by accident. I was born into a filmmaking family. My father was a producer. My uncle produced and directed films. He was one of the leading filmmakers of his time. So I grew up with films being made around me. When I became an actor, I promised myself that I would never produce because I saw my father go through hell. I was happy just acting. But then I received the script for Lagaan (2001). I was keen to make the film but didn’t know whether I could trust any producer with such unusual material. In the late 90s, Lagaan was very unusual material for mainstream Indian cinema. I didn’t know which producer would appreciate that and give it the right resources to be made in the manner it ought to be made. So I became a producer out of necessity. I enjoyed the process because it gives you a lot more control. I’m not a very budget-conscious producer. As a creative person, my films often go outside of budget and schedule. But because I’m more creatively inclined, I let that slip, because I want the film to turn out how I envisioned it.
DEADLINE: Laapataa Ladies made the top 10 on Netflix and has traveled internationally. When picking projects, do you usually think about what stories or ideas will work best with global audiences?
KHAN: No, I don’t. Actually, I don’t even think of the Indian audience, to be quite honest. When I’m selecting a film, it’s really because I love it. I don’t know what the audience will think. However, I am making films primarily for the Indian audience. So to answer your question, no, I don’t give a thought as to how it will perform outside of India. But I do believe that irrespective of which country the film is coming from, the more local you are, the more universal you are.
DEADLINE: With Indian titles like Laapataa Ladies and All We Imagine As Light now consistently reaching such a broad international audience, what do you think is the next phase for Indian cinema?
KHAN: I have no idea. It’s difficult to categorize Indian cinema because Indian cinema is, first of all, 30 or more languages. We make films in so many languages. And we make about 1000 films a year in different languages. So when you say Indian cinema, do you mean Tamil cinema? Do you mean Telugu? Do you mean Hindi? Do you mean Bengali? Which cinema are you referring to? And then within each cinema, you have mainstream Tamil cinema, mainstream Telugu, and mainstream Hindi. And then you also have independent cinemas in each language. So in Indian cinema, there are a lot of different kinds of films. At one time, Indian cinema used to be recognized as just singing and dancing. But it’s no longer that. It’s moved on. It’s moved beyond that. There are many mainstream musicals that still adhere to those guidelines, but a lot of young writers and directors with their own voices have emerged and are making very unusual works that tackle big themes and topics. The audiences in India have also been changing and appreciating different work.
DEADLINE: What do you want to do next?
KHAN: As a producer, I’m trying to use my production house as a platform for young talent that I believe in. I’m also really keen on working on children’s content. I think that all of us are children at the end of the day. And when you tell stories for children, usually the entire family tunes in. That allows you to touch on themes that can educate children from a young age. You can teach them about various things like inclusion and build adults who are slightly better than us.
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