Aamir Khan

Lore & Background

Aamir Khan first appeared on screen as a child actor in his uncle Nasir Hussain's film Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973). As an adult, his first feature film role was in Holi (1984). He began a full-time acting career with a leading role in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988). His performance in Raakh (1989) earned him recognition in the Special Mention category. He established himself as a leading actor in the 1990s through commercially successful films including Dil (1990), Raja Hindustani (1996) (for which he won his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor), and Sarfarosh (1999). In 1999, he founded Aamir Khan Productions, whose first film, Lagaan (2001), was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and earned him a National Film Award for Best Popular Film. He made his directorial debut with Taare Zameen Par (2007), winning Filmfare Awards for Best Film and Best Director. His biggest commercial successes include Ghajini (2008), 3 Idiots (2009), Dhoom 3 (2013), PK (2014), and Dangal (2016), each having held the record for being the highest-grossing Indian film.

Reader's Guide

Aamir Khan's significance lies in his sustained impact on Indian cinema over more than three decades, marked by a blend of critical acclaim and commercial success. He has been described by Newsweek as 'the most bankable movie star in the world' and has a large following, especially in India and China. His work as a social reformer, including creating and hosting the television talk show Satyamev Jayate, earned him an appearance on the Time 100 list of most influential people in the world in 2013. He has been regularly listed among The 500 Most Influential Muslims of the world. Khan's legacy includes pioneering production ventures like Lagaan, which brought international recognition, and his directorial debut Taare Zameen Par, which addressed educational issues. His films have repeatedly broken box office records, and his reputation as 'Mr. Perfectionist' reflects a career built on careful selection of roles and projects. His influence extends beyond entertainment into social commentary and reform.

Did You Know?

• Aamir Khan performed Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, in 2013.
• He lost a custody battle for his younger brother Faisal to their father in 2007.
• His paternal grandmother was an Arab tracing her roots to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and a niece of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
• He was honored by the Government of China with an honorary title in 2017.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Aamir Hussain Khan (born 14 March 1965) is an Indian actor, director, producer and activist." — Aamir Khan "Certainly we were disappointed. But the thing that really kept us in our spirits was that the entire country was behind us." — Aamir Khan "Statement, when asked that why he don't attend any awards of Indian Cinema, 27 February 2008.[3]." — Aamir Khan "It's not important to me... people will see my films if they want to. Also, I cannot deal with so many things, I have bandwidth only for that much." — Aamir Khan