Aamir Khan reminisces about his 30 years in cinema

At the 2024 Red Sea Film Festival, Bollywood icon Aamir Khan was recently honored with one of the most important honors.

Some of the most well-known figures in international film attended the event, which took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from December 5 to 14.

The evening’s three honored awardees were Oscar-nominated actress Emily Blunt, Egyptian cinema veteran Mona Zaki, and Aamir Khan, who is renowned for his iconic performances and directorial skills.

In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the film industry, Khan accepted the award on the festival’s opening night, which was a star-studded event.

Khan’s acceptance speech, which was posted on the Red Sea Film Festival’s official Instagram page, said, “It’s a real honor to be here and feel honored to have my work recognized over all these years.”

The actor used the occasion to thank all of the talented people who have contributed to his filmmaking.

“I would like to take this moment to thank all the various creative people I have worked with, writers, directors, and a lot of creative minds who have been part of this journey over the last 3 decades with me,” Khan said, emphasizing how his achievement was a team effort.

“I am really happy to be here in Saudi Arabia and see what’s happening here at the Red Sea Film Festival,” the actor said, pausing to acknowledge the country’s burgeoning film culture. It’s very incredible. I’m excited to return and have a closer look at this nation and its stunning culture.

Over the course of his three-decade career, Aamir Khan has achieved unparalleled success in both his acting and producing roles.

Blockbuster smashes like “Dangal,” “3 Idiots,” “PK,” “Lagaan,” “Rang De Basanti,” and the socially conscious “Peepli Live” are among his filmography.

Khan’s path has never been without difficulties, despite the glitz. During the festival’s well-liked “In Conversation With” section, the actor spoke up about the anxiety and doubts he had before every job.

“I find nothing simple. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he told the festival audience, “I’m anxious that I’ll be able to pull it off every film that I pick.”

Khan recognized the inherent hazards of filmmaking, especially in his capacity as a producer, even if his creative flexibility in selecting his parts is praised.

“I’ve had the freedom to act in and produce movies and tell stories I want to tell, but when you are producing, the slightest slip and you risk the whole film coming crashing down,” he said.

Khan said that his decision-making process has been driven by serendipity and “accidents,” not by industry formulae or confidence, in each endeavor.

Khan spoke candidly about his early hesitation to pursue a career in film production. His father, the late Tahir Hussain, was a well-known Bollywood producer, thus Khan grew up in a family of filmmakers and was familiar with the hardships of making movies.

“I had seen my father’s ordeal. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Khan acknowledged that his profession is unappreciated, which influenced his initial reluctance to follow in his father’s footsteps.

When he received the screenplay for “Lagaan,” which was directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, everything changed.

Khan wasn’t sure at first, but as his love for the script developed, he came to see that no producer in the business could do the movie right.

“I feared the filmmaker would be coerced by the producer. I felt anxious as a result,” he stated. But after thinking about it for eighteen months, Khan decided to go ahead and create the movie.

In addition to being one of Bollywood’s most popular films, the cricket-themed epic “Lagaan” was India’s official 2001 Academy Awards submission.

After winning the Audience Award for Best Film at its global debut in Locarno, the movie gained popularity naturally across Europe.

As Khan remembered with nostalgia, “It took off on its own. It traveled from nation to nation before being released in Europe. The movie accomplished everything, and everything came naturally. The Hollywood Reporter claims that I was “dragged along with it.”

The success of ‘Lagaan’ marked a sea change in Khan’s career, encouraging him to pursue filmmaking in spite of his early reservations.
“I was still hesitant to commit at the time,” Khan said, “but then I thought, look at the directors you look up to, all of these directors.” They followed their hearts and took chances.

“If you want to do great work, you have to take risks,” he said, revealing his newfound perspective, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

From December 5 to December 14, the Red Sea Film Festival has been a celebration of international cinema, drawing actors and directors from across the globe.

In addition to Aamir Khan, Hollywood celebrities Will Smith, Vin Diesel, and Spike Lee were present at the event, as was Bollywood diva Kareena Kapoor Khan.